MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

MODERN SHOT GUNS

W.

W.

GREENER,

AUTHOR OF "MODERN BREECH-LOADERS," "THE Gux AND

DEVELOPMENT,"

CAS SELL & COMPANY,

LONDON, PARIS

&

ITS

ETC.

MELBOURNE.

LIMITED

INTRODUCTION.
IN the present treatise the Author has endeavoured to give such
information as is constantly demanded of gun makers by shooting
men. Notwithstanding the number of published books written by
sportsmen for sportsmen, there is much information indispensable
to those who use guns, which the gunmaker only can impart.

MODERN SHOT GUNS

to be a sportsman's
of gunmakers' circulars, nor
does it exhibit those conflicting opinions and diverse conclusions
found in recent books on the same subject such books having
encyclopaedia,

it

is

not a

is

not

intended

compound

been written with the collaboration of various persons more or less

interested in the subjects treated.
These books do not enable the

sportsman to arrive at any definite conclusion with respect to the

merits or demerits of any mechanism, and merely " beat about the

bush" with respect to the more important technicalities of gunnery.

The columns devoted to shooting in the sporting newspapers teem
with flippant nonsense concerning the facts of gunmaking, and

although

it is

apparent that newspapers derive benefit by keeping

by so doing they propagate ignorance

and do but bewilder those they pretend to

subjects perpetually open,

amongst

their readers,

lead.
It is to the

interest of the Author, that all

who

use guns, as it is to the

the vexed questions of Gunnery be

interest of those

INTRODUCTION.

vi

settled as far as

writers of

is

There can be no excuse

possible.

books intended to guide sportsmen who

fail

the

for

to

give
"

"
or
a definite opinion with respect to the merits of choke-bore
"nitrowhether
and
or
"hammerless,"
"cylinder," of "hammer-guns"
"

compounds are better

the modern Shot Gun.

or worse than black

MODERN SHOT GUNS

gunpowders

the Author has

for use in

made

a special
endeavour to give the intending purchaser of a modern gun such
directions as will enable him to obtain the article best suited for his
In

purpose, to load
dition ready for

it

to best advantage,

immediate

The sportsman,
respect to

any

and to keep

it

in

good con-

use.

therefore,

who

wishes to

know

decisively with

recent topic or controversy connected with the gun.

has but to turn to the pages of this treatise.

The Author has thought it advisable to preface the book with
a short historical resume of the development of the Shot Gun, for
seeing that the question of "chokes v. cylinders" has been seriouslydiscussed so recently as 1887, it may be that the controversy
of " breech-loaders v. muzzle-loaders " will be resuscitated, and it is
"
"
possible that information concerning the merits of firelocks

percussion guns

may yet be

required.

this opportunity to tender his

Newspapers
generally

Guns

by

for

thanks to the Editors of the Sporting

the valuable services rendered to the

their energetic

anu

Meanwhile, the Author takes

gun trade

endeavours to obtain more perfect Shot

English sportsmen, and for their able support to and

and trusts that in the
kindly recognition of worthy inventions
for

future, as in the past, they will direct their attention to the further

development of the Shot Gun, rather than to

of long since accredited inventions.
In the arrangement of this treatise the

futile discussions

Author has followed a

method which appears to him the best suited to convey an accurate
idea of the modern Shot Gun and its
capabilities under varying

INTRODUCTION.
without necessitating

conditions,

vii

wearying and bewildering

re-

petitions.

The HISTORICAL Section is necessarily meagre those sportsmen who desire further information respecting the firearms of our
:

forefathers will
"

find

The Gun and

its

fuller

particulars

in

the Author's

book -

Development"

The DESCRIPTIVE Section contains short particulars of the

The numerous illustrations
leading types of modern Shot Guns.
and absence of technical words from the text

will be appreciated by
those sportsmen who do NOT care for the jargon of the gun-shop
nor the phraseology of science.

ANALYTICAL

Section the various parts of the modern

are detailed, with their technical names.

In the

Shot Gun

The

part referring to the barrels will have interest for many,

the details concerning gun-stocks may be perused with
benefit by even the most experienced sportsmen.
whilst

The TECHNICAL
teems with
results

of

figures,

recent important experiments, which, although a

is of little actual importance to the sportsman,

all

knowledge of
could not be

is a long one, and, unfortunately,

an endeavour to include the
from
resulting

Section

them
left

unnoticed in a treatise professing to treat of

Sporting Gunnery.

The SPECIFICAL
ticulars of

Section

is

devoted to descriptions and par"

"
pigeon shooting," duck-

such special guns as used for

"

"
large game," shooting with ball;
wild-fowling," for
treats, moreover, of small-bore guns, light short 12-bore guns,

ing,"

and
and

specifying what any Shoulder Gun may be expected to average with any of the ordinary loads.
In the CRITICAL Section the Author has fearlessly and withcontains tables

out prejudice criticised the various types of guns described in

He has not abstained
the work, or found in the gun-seller's stock.

from giving his opinion, nor from quoting the opinions of others, on

INTRODUCTION.

viii

the important questions agitating the minds of sportsmen, and has

pointed out to those about to buy guns how they may avoid being

imposed upon by the ignorant or fraudulent vendors of spurious

worthless weapons.

The PRACTICAL

Section

is

just

what

it

professes to be,

a series of practical instructions to the users of guns.

viz.,

This and the

longest and

most important in the

and follows the hints
them,
peruses
himself
when
not
fail
to
save
will
expense
purchasing arms
given,
and ammunition, but will be able to make the best use of his
weapons, and shoot with confidence, ease, and pleasure.
preceding section are the

The sportsman who

treatise.

W. W. GREENER.
Birmingham,

January 2nd, 1888.

NOTE TO SECOND EDITION.

THE

first

large

edition

exhausted, and the

it

incumbent upon him

which, judging by
to

of

demand
its

MODERN SHOT GUNS

favourable reception, has been

many, and may prove of use to

Birmingham,

January

ist,

having been

continuing, the Author has felt

to produce this revised reprint of a book
still

1891.

all

who handle

of service

guns.

CONTENTS.
PAGE

INTRODUCTION

PART

THE GUN.

I.

SECTION

I.

HISTORICAL.

used for Sporting Purposes The Wheel-lock The Flint-lock

First Double Gun
The Manton Muzzle-loader Percussion Guns The

Firearms

first

The

Greener Muzzle-loader

The

Breech-loader

The Daw Gun

Central Fire System

Top-lever

The Lefaucheux Pin-fire Gun

The Double-Grip Gun The

Hammer Gun

SECTION

II.

DESCRIPTIVE.

Hammer Guns Double-Grip Gun Side-lever Gun Top-lever Gun " Doll'shead " Gun Treble-Grip Gun Treble Wedge-fast Gun Semi-hammerless
Guns The Murcott Gun The Allport Gun The "Club" Hammerless
Gun
Gun

The Anson and Deeley Gun The Scott

The Purdey Gun The Greener Hammerless Gun Hammerless
Ejecting Guns The Needham Ejector The Greener Self-acting Gun
The Westley Richards' Ejector Gun The " Gye " Gun Guns of Divers
Systems Novelties Repeating Shot Guns The Larsen The Spencer
The Winchester
Top-lever Hammerless Guns

SECTION
The Component

Parts of a

Belgian Barrels

Steel

Gun

III.

The

Barrels

ANALYTICAL.
Barrels

Cocking Mechanisms of Hammerless Guns

Gun

Stocks, the Style

Foreparts Finish ..

Bent-over Stocks
...

Damascus

Barrels

English

v.

The LocksMechanisms The Stock

The Breech Mechanism

..

Safety

The Monopean Gun

..

...

Sights..

...

31

CONTENTS.

SECTION

TECHNICAL.

IV.

Standard Charges Bursting Strains

Velocity of the Flight of Shot Stringing of the
Spread at Various Ranges Recoil Patterns Killing Circles

Calibre, Gauge, Bore

Shooting

Weight

Obstructions in Barrels

Charge
Chokes

v.

Cylinders

SECTION
The

Essentials of a

...

...

Ignition

...

...

...

56

SPECIFICAL.

V.

Pigeon Guns Game Guns Boys' Guns Ladies' Guns

The Miniature Ducking Gun -Single Guns Ducking
Case Guns What a Gun must Shoot Eccentricities

Gun

Miniature Guns

Guns

Brass

91

SECTION VI.-CRITICAL.
The

Choice of a Gun Merits of Rival Systems

Best Gun Price London or Birmingham
Spurious

Gun

The Gun

...

...

Stock

SECTION
Handling the Gun
to

Keep

and

in

When

Ordering by Letter

that will Suit

...

...

..

VII.

Hammer or Hammerless The

Sham Guns How to Detect a
...

Choosing from
...

...

109

PRACTICAL.

Keeping Clean How to Clean How

Temporary Breakdowns Stripping Guns How
Repairs How to Use the Gun in the Field Handing

Caring for

Good Guns

Good Order

to

Send

for

Loader Shooting from Boats Loading Cartridges General Arrangement and Management of the Gun-Room
...
...
...
...
to

PART

AMMUNITION AND ACCESSORIES.

II.

SECTION
Powder

134

Black Powders

v.

I.

GUNPOWDERS.

Nitro-Compounds Schultze, "E.C.,"and Coopai's

New Powders Cocoa, Brown, and Safety

English and Foreign Powders

Powders

...

SECTION
English Shot

Chilled

English Sizes

v.

Soft Shot

American

Sizes

II.

I4 g

SHOT.

Mould and Milled Shot

Continental Sizes

Sizes of

Shot...

154

CONTENTS.
SECTION
Eley's Cases

Cases

III.

158

GUN CASES AND IMPLEMENTS.

IV.

Cartridge Magazines

tridge

Loading Implements

menta

Ignition of Cartridge
Felt Wadding The

Wad

SECTION
Cases

CARTRIDGE CASES AND WADDING.

Paper v. Brass Cases The "Life" Cases

Improvements Required Paper Wadding

"Field"

Gun

xi

Packing up

for a

PART

Shooting Tour

III.

SECTION
Its

Trap Shooting

Cartridge Bags Cleaning Implements CarUseful Tools Abominations Handy Impedi-

I.

...

English Rules

SECTION

II.

...

...

164

...

166

TRAP SHOOTING.
LIVE BIRD SHOOTING.

Commencement and Development

Highest Scores

...

Chief Resorts in Europe

Continental Rules

...

...

INANIMATE TARGETS.

The Glass Ball Trap

Glass Balls Improvement in Inanimate Targets The Clay

"
Blackbird
Pigeon
Pigeon Traps The Blue Rock Bird and Trap Rules
of Inanimate Target Shooting
Best Records ...
...
...
...
' '

183

APPENDIX.
"

"

Sterling

Steel

Gun

Barrels

The Shot Counting Trowel

The "

Gififard

"

Gun

195

MODERN SHOT
PART
SECTION

I.

I.

GUNS.

THE GUN.
HISTORICAL.

EARLY GUNS.
THERE was much

opposition made to the adoption of firearms as weapons

of war by the nobles and knights of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.
The firearm was not considered by them to be a knightly weapon for any
purpose, and so guns were scouted by the sportsmen of mediaeval days,
if they were not themselves knights, were rarely in a position to disregard the dicta of the warriors.
The knights notwithstanding, the use of firearms became general for
"
"
of Germany seem to have been able
purposes of war, and the
poachers
to make use of them at an early period, for in the State papers of the
Elector Augustus of Saxony, dated the loth of October, 1555, is a prohibition against the possession of firearms by peasants and shepherds.
Small shot was known in Germany early in the sixteenth century,
and in 1562, by a Government Regulation, its use was "entirely and ab"
solutely
prohibited throughout the Duchy of Mecklenburg.
The weapons used for sporting purposes were not rifled, and were
often loaded with two or more small balls ; with the invention of the
rifle early in the sixteenth
century by the German gunmakers, a second class
of firearm was created, which was rapidly perfected and quickly adopted

who,

game shooting, as well as for purposes of war. The Shot Gun was
gradually evolved from the original hand firearm, but as a Shot Gun its
history can only date from the introduction of double-barrelled arms.
The Sporting Shot Gun may therefore be termed a modern weapon. It
was not until the middle of the seventeenth century that double guns were
made sufficiently small or light to be used as sporting weapons. The development was very slow ; the earlier guns had no ribs, and were furnished
with wheel locks; in the eighteenth century ribs were added, and the
for large

flint lock and hammer

employed. The gun then became essentially
the sporting weapon ; its clumsiness and slowness had hitherto prevented
its
general adoption, and the Flint-lock Gun was considered by the
sportsmen in the first quarter of this century to have established itself

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

in its best form

an almost perfect sporting weapon. This gun,
the
and
style of Joseph
particular
was made by English gunmakers,
His gun, in its latest
Manton was considered superior to all others.
are now treasured
form is shown in the adjoining illustration. Such guns

firmly as

Manton's Flint-lock Muzzle-loader.

the
by those fortunate enough to possess them, although
that fifty years would
maker, and possibly their first purchaser, thought
to the limbo of forgotten
probably see them in practical use, not relegated
hall wall.
lumber, or utilised to fill a museum gap or adorn the

as curiosities

W.

Greener's Double Muzzle-loader

1858.

Manton lived to see the introduction of the percussion cap, and a

new era in the history of gunmaking commenced. Of percussion guns
many forms appeared. All gunmakers, anxious to possess a speciality,
invented detonating guns more or less practicable and useful, and of
these many have been converted to the common form, and the others
have joined the flint-locks in the region of the forgotten.

HISTORICAL.

The percussion gun was a great improvement on the flint-lock, and

although its day was short, it did much for English gunmakers, and if
properly constructed was the most durable gun ever made, or probably
ever to be made.
Fulminate seems to have been first applied successfully to firearms
about 1806, and the name of the Rev. A. J. Forsyth, D.D., will always be
associated with its practical application.
From the date of his patent
(1807) to 1825 many detonating guns were produced, and in 1818 the
copper cap was made in England ; it was not adopted by the English
Government until 1840, although
purposes some years previously.

The

it

had been generally used

for sporting

Before the percussion gun had arrived

Original Lefaucheux Breech-loader

1836.

breech-loading shot-gun had made its

appearance in France, and when improved by various English gunmakers
bid successfully for public favour.
The original Lefaucheux gun has
long enjoyed, and, indeed, originally received a far greater share of praise
than it actually merited.
There was little really novel in the gun, and

at its highest state of perfection, the

the mechanism, although simple, was ill adapted for the purpose.
The
Lefaucheux was favourably received, and the principle of the dropping
down of the barrels for loading which he adopted has been faithfully
adhered to since, and has now possibly attained its most perfect form.
and for further decided improvements in modern sporting shot-guns the
principle, not the details, will require alteration.

The pin-fire cartridge invented by Mr. Lefaucheux was a great

achievement, and an important step towards the production of a perfect
The shell or case, by expanding at the moment of
sporting gun.
discharge, effectually closes the breech-joint and prevents the escape of
B 2

MODERN SHOT
essential point
gas and in this

*C

Ki^!S

is

GUNS.

contained the secret of the success of

was improved upon by English and French

about 1853,
gas-tight case, produced

makers, and the central-fire

of sporting firearms.
a new epoch in the manufacture
Daw gun
the
was
succeLS central-fire shot-gun

adjomtg

illustration

it

Barked

shown

was enthusiastically championed by

its

in

the

introducer,

oppo:
Mr. Daw, of Threadneedle Street, and notwithstanding general

soon as

gun
known.

1861, and

The

central-fire

system

is

became popular almost as

employed, and modern

still

It is the centralfor the central-fire cartridge.

sporting guns are all made
The
gun, as
of
order
percussion
the
things.
so
fire gun that has
changed

Daw's

Central-fire

Hammer Gun.

an improvement on
flint, and the pin-fire, as
of the
muzzle-loaders, are insignificant in comparison with the advantages
which represent
central-fire system.
Safety, speed, and ease are words
the main advantages, but they do not convey the full import to one un-

an improvement on the

Improvements during
acquainted with the older types of sporting guns.
the first century and a half of the gun's adoption to sporting uses were
scanty and apparently unimportant ; since the commencement of the present century each decade has seen numerous inventions applied to sporting
There is no longer any need
guns, many of very considerable importance.
for writers to advance thirty reasons showing the superiority of the breechnor for
to fatigue themselves with
loading over other

systems,
sportsmen
heavy guns, and the annoyances of loading from the muzzle. The demand
is for a gun that will do an immense amount of work, do it quickly, and
with ease to the user.
The large bags made almost daily during the
season were a matter of impossibility to our grandfathers with their guns,
The gun for the battue,
providing even that other things were equal.
for the field, and for the
trap must fill requirements which Colonel
Hawker or Squire Osbaldeston would have deemed preposterous, and

HISTORICAL.

certainly each decade, nay, each succeeding season, witnesses the production
of new alterations to the sporting gun in such numbers that perfect as
sportsmen may consider their guns, it is evident that to many disadvan-

tages or imperfections are quite apparent.

The coming season will see further improvements, and many gunmakers will have novelties to the fore, but notwithstanding the fact that
safe, reliable, hammerless guns have been more than ten years before the
public, there are sportsmen who prefer the hammer gun ; and although,
personally, the author thinks that it should, as manufactured by several of

our leading gunmakers, be relegated to the past, he will describe it fully

and treat it as a modern gun, merely illustrating here and mentioning
historically the Top-lever plain snap Hammer gun, which has many
seasons enjoyed the confidence of sportsmen and the London trade.

The Purdey

Central-fire

Gun

1888.

Many inventions, now so common as to be considered public property,

and some of which are looked for in all modern guns, have in their time
served to mark valuable improvements to the sporting shot-gun first, to
enumerate those of minor importance the patent striker, the springless
;

"
the through lump, the circle joint, the spring fore-end, the
solid"
headed striker, the one-legged extractor, the double grip, and the " snap
"
action
breech mechanisms, the extended rib, &c. Those of primary importance the rebounding lock, the top bolt, choke-boring, the hammerstriker,

less gun.

The rebounding lock, so simple and so efficient, was quickly adopted

many accidents, although causing some. With hammer guns it
still used, and should be, but the rebounding lock and hammer gun is

it

is

saved

being so rapidly superseded by the various hammerless guns that the

advantages, which were of such importance fifteen years ago, seem now
The top bolt was the invention of the celebrated
little more than a name.
gunmaker, Mr. Westley Richards, whose name is so well and so honourNaturally,
ably known throughout the world in connection with firearms.
his simple form was quickly improved upon
the advantages of the principle inculcated, others were not slow to copy or devise a more perfect
;

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

method of uniting the barrels to the standing breech at the

exerted.
in a drop-down gun the greatest strain is
"

top, the point

In 1873 the

where

Treble-Wedge-Fast," or top cross

author produced his now well known
were secured to the breech
barrels
the
which
a mechanism by
bolt gun
of steel
action by a double holding down bolt and an independent bolt,
whole
the
breech
the
forming
itself,
to
at
the
barrels
standing
top
binding the
This plan has stood the test
a triple wedge of almost illimitable strength.
of the
of a decade, and is rapidly growing in popularity ; on the expiration
universal.
patent its use will be practically
What the
Of choke-boring too much cannot be said in praise.
the
Choke-bore
of
the
increase
to
done
has
firing,
Breech-loader
rapidity
Let it be
has done to increase the range and efficiency of the weapon.
taken for granted that the raison d'etre of a gun is to shoot this acknowof the Choke outweighs all the
ledged, it is evident that the importance
last twenty-five years.
of
the
Many countries have laid
improvements
claim to the invention of choke-boring ; it is still a vexed question ; and
whether the honour belongs to the Americans, to Pape of Newcastle, to
the French or to the Spanish gunmakers of mediaeval times, all the author
wishes to say is that, so far as he is concerned, the invention is his own.
The form of Choke produced, and which has been generally accepted,
and the method of producing it, are both of his invention, and for it he
is
not indebted to the Americans, to other gunmakers, nor to books
:

ancient or modern.

Hammerless guns shall be treated upon fully in the descriptive

It will suffice to say here that they are the highest
chapters of this work.
development of the Sporting Shot Gun, and are likely to grow in favour,
and practically to supersede other forms of breech-loading guns now in
use.

The author, in concluding this brief outline of the development of

the Shot Gun, must remark that, although in his opinion the guns passed
in review in this chapter are out of date, there are others who differ from
him, and it must not be supposed for a moment that guns such as
described cannot now be bought.
Thousands of flint-lock muskets are
made

yearly, and sold; thousands of percussion muzzle-loaders are

exported each year from England and Belgium ; pin-fire guns are
still manufactured,
and so the other types which have once occupied
the front ranks will find admirers ; but all practical, intelligent sportsmen
will not be thus contented, and such are invited to follow the author
carefully in the descriptive and critical notes on the guns of to-day.

SECTION

II.

DESCRIPTIVE,

HAMMER

GUNS.

To

sportsmen there is a seemingly endless variety of guns. All makers

claim one or more specialities ; and although the sportsman may know
the type of gun he requires
for instance, hammer or hammerless
his
choice is practically unlimited, to judge from the advertisement columns
of the leading sporting papers.
To give a description of every kind of
gun would be but to reproduce a score or more of gunmakers' catalogues,

and

to leave the

sportsman in no

little

Each gun now

confusion.

to be

The Double-Grip Gun.

described must be considered as representing a type, the characteristics
of which will be briefly, and the author hopes lucidly, set forth.
The
advantages or disadvantages will be more fully dealt with in a succeeding
chapter.

The gun

for several years the leading fashion,

entirely out of date, known as the Double-Grip

is also the oldest,
pattern to be described.
Its
is

appearance

is

and even now not

Gun,

is

the

first,

as

it

Its chief characteristic

probably well known to all.
a modification of the original Lefaucheux

the double-flanged lever-bolt

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

There are no action springs

working horizontally over the trigger-guard.
lever works against the barrel
the
of
head
the
on
inclined
an
cylindrical
plane
the lever is turned from the
lump and forces the barrels upward, when

the gun has been closed, the lever is returned, and

in the barrel lump,
two flanges on the cylindrical head enter into notches
The
to the breech-action body.
drawing the barrels firmly down
are strong, and, with
the
all
parts
is
;
mechanism
exceedingly simple
but for the time
back-action locks, it is a form of breech-action which,
to shoot large
takes to manipulate it, would be of great service for guns
is now usually applied
It
work
hard
for
and
generally.
charges of powder,
to low-priced guns only, and is rarely found upon very light guns.
in which the lever is worked by a spring, has been made.
modified
trigger-guard.

When

action,

The Side-Lever Gun.

In this gun a
style of breech mechanism is the side lever.
bent round from underneath the breech-action body to lie on the

Another
lever

is

lock plate, its thumb-piece being conveniently placed immediately behind

the hammer. This lever is pivoted beneath the barrels in the breech-action
body, an arm being continued upwards to engage in a slot in a steel
bolt, working longitudinally in a slot in the breech-action body
being
The bolt
forced forward by a spring, and moved backward by the lever.
enters one or more notches in the lump underneath the barrels, and serves
to hold down the barrels to the breech-action body.
The spring a flat one is sometimes fixed in the breech-action body,
forward of the lever, and is uncovered ; but it should be placed on the
trigger-plate, and connected to the lever by an S swivel, similar to that of
a gun-lock.
Such guns work much more pleasantly, and the spring is not
so likely to fail.

DESCRIPTIVE.

The

side lever may be on either the right or left side of the gun.
modification of this breech mechanism is the under lever, in which
the lever, instead of being taken to the side, is bent to the form of the
trigger-guard, and lies over it (see Daw's breech-loader, already illustrated).
The lever is depressed to open the gun. When the gun is closed, the
holding-down bolts snap home, carrying the lever to its place.
This mechanism is now occasionally supplemented by a bolt or bolts,
engaging with an extension of the top rib of the barrels ; but, although
once much sought after, the side lever has been discarded by most gunmakers, and, with one notable exception, is to be found only in low-priced

guns.

THE TOP-LEVER GUN.

The Top-Lever Gun is of two kinds in one, the lever swings

horizontal pivot, in the tang of break-off or in the standing breech,
:

upon a
and is

Top-Lever Gun, with Back-action Locks.

up to open the gun. This type is not generally used, and is

seldom found, except upon the guns of two Birmingham makers.
The other type of lever is generally used
the lever turns upon

raised

a vertical pivot, and is pushed to the right to open the gun.

An arm
upon the pivot is connected with the action-bolt, and draws back the bolt
to allow of the gun being opened, whilst a spring, connected with the bolt,
the lever, or the pivot, forces the bolt into the bites on the barrel-lump as

soon as the barrels are in their place for firing. The general appearance
of a gun with this lever may be seen by referring to illustrations of the
Various mechanisms are used by
Purdey Gun, in the first chapter.
different makers to bring about the withdrawal of the bolt or bolts ; but
there is, in reality, little to choose between the methods employed.
The
adjoined illustration shows a Top-lever hammer gun, with back-action
locks j and it may as well be remarked here, that in a light gun the backaction lock allows of more metal, and consequently greater strength in the
breech-action, whilst the grip of the stock is not proportionately weakened.
In a heavy gun, the strain upon the hand of the stock is greater, and as
the back-action lock does take from the strength of the stock in its

MODERN SHOT

IO

GUNS.

weakest place, bar-locks should always be preferred upon heavy guns

Back-action lock guns are usually a little cheaper than bar-guns, although
that no
the difference is so small, if everything be of the best quality,
where
a
in
but
every
noticeable
very cheap gun,
alteration in the price is
used.
is of importance, the back-action lock is often
;

shilling

THE DOLL'S-HEAD GUN.

breech mechanism, the barrels have an extension of the top-rib,
lump equal thereto which extension is let into
a correspondingly shaped hole in the top of the standing breech.
The belief is that this head keeps the standing breech from springing
In

this

or a separate steel

The Doll's-Head Gun.

at the moment of discharge, and consequently increases the solidity
of the weapon.
For proof that this is not generally the case, the reader
should refer to the Critical Section of this work.
The only objection to
the Doll's-Head Gun is that the somewhat large projection is in the way
when loading, or when taking out the fired cases. The projection should
always be used as a guide for the extractor ; a groove in it will keep the
extractor in its place better than the second leg usually employed.

back

The Doll's-Head
generally found

lower grades

The

is

it is

decidedly popular.

In

high-class weapons, but

considered to be a necessity.

upon

its

primitive form,

on guns of the

it

is

third

not

and

price of a gun as illustrated will average thirteen guineas in

England, or 75 dollars abroad. Many very much cheaper guns are in the
market, and the Doll's-Head will be found upon all the cheap grades
in the American markets.

DESCRIPTIVE.

1 1

TREBLE-GRIP GUNS.

When,

in addition

to the usual

double holding-down

bolt,

a gun

is

furnished with a bolt, engaging with the extension of the top rib, it is
The ordinary Doll's-Head Gun is sometimes
called a Treble-Grip Gun.
The crude idea of the ordinary Treble-Grip
so styled, but wrongly so.
Gun would seem to have originated from a combination of the well-known
Westley Richards' top-grip breech-action with the double holding-down
bolt ; but, strange to say, this is almost the last form the Treble-Grip
Gun has taken. The well-known and very much superior Treble WedgeFast Gun to be described preceded it, as did many others of considerable
The third grip may be a prolongation of the top lever, a small
worth.

The Treble-Grip Gun.

bolt actuated
slots or
is

by

it,

V grooves

and named head engaging with

The Treble- Grip Gun illustrated
many forms now common. The

or a fancifully-shaped

in the projecting rib.

one of the simplest and best

of the

a plain bearing of a prolongation of the top lever upon the

projecting rib, and it not only materially lessens the strain upon the under
bolts, but also keeps the projecting rib, which is dovetailed into the
"
"
standing breech, up to its work.
Many of the Triplex Grip," Climax,"
"
"
"
Giant Grip
Hold-fasts,"
guns have not half the wear in them this
gun has, and the mechanism of such-named guns should be most carefully
third grip

is

examined before purchase.

This style of gun may be purchased from 15 to 40 guineas, and most
guns of second quality are furnished with a third bite, equal to one of the
Treble-Grips already enumerated.

THE TREBLE WEDGE-FAST GUN.

This

is

imitations,

chapter

is

decidedly the most popular English gun ; it has numerous

it
may therefore be said to have genuine merit. As this
mainly descriptive, the reader should refer to the succeeding

and

MODERN SHOT

I2

GUNS.

upon the various breech-loaders described

sections for critical remarks

"

The Treble Wedge-Fast Gun was introduced by W. W. Greener in 1873,

who invented it as an improvement upon the many flimsy snap-action
It consists of a steel
breech-loaders which then had a certain popularity.
fits into a slot in the standing breech.
which
the
from
top rib,
projection
round steel bolt, actuated by an arm of the top lever, works transversely
the
in the standing breech and passes through the steel projection, binding
to the breech, so that any gaping or wear
top of the barrels securely
at the joint is impossible.
Nothing more simple nor so efficient can
in itself fully equal to the strain of firing
is
bolt
This
be imagined.
top
double holding-down bolt it
heavy charges, but in connection with the

W. W.

Greener's Patent Treble Wedge-Fast Gun.

works smoothly, and forms the strongest combination known, which is

applicable to guns upon the drop-down principle.
The mechanism, so far from adding to the weight of the gun, diminishes
it, for guns may be made on this principle lighter and
stronger than if
made upon any other.
In appearance the Treble Wedge-Fast Gun is
graceful ; one can see at a moment that the chief quality is solidity, but
impossible to find a trait of weightiness.
Top-lever, from its position, far in arrear of the standing breech,
is most
handy, and the narrow projecting rib in no way interferes with the
rapidity with which the cartridges may be inserted or withdrawn.

it is

The

and

The mechanism is
is made on both

guns.

and

if

and back-action locks,

also applied to various hammerless
expensive to produce than Treble-grip guns,

equally applicable to front

plans,

and

is

This gun is more

well made, it is
certainly without any equal for strength or

beauty.

This

is

the gun for

all

who use heavy

charges, for

all

who work

their

DESCRIPTIVE.

13

guns hard, for all who require a light and safe gun. The price may be
said roughly to range from fifteen to fifty pounds ; but on the Continent
wretchedly made imitations are circulated, which have only the barest
outward resemblance to the original English gun, which

is

the sole

and inventor, W. W. Greener.

The Treble Wedge-Fast Gun has so much to recommend it that for
almost any sport or purpose it may be chosen, and the greatest confidence
may with safety be reposed in it, for the heaviest charge of any explosive
is as powerless to injure it as are the sands of the Sahara or the snows of

property of the patentee

Siberia to stop

its

proper working.

SEMI-HAMMERLESS GUNS.
Self-cocking and self-half-cocking guns, with hammers, enjoyed a certain
With pin-fire guns, the raising of the
popularity in the 1860-70 decade.
hammer to half-cock by means of the action lever was an advantage.
Central-fire guns, with rebounding locks, quite superseded all guns halfcocked by the lever. Hammer guns cocked by means of the action lever

The Semi-Hammerless Gun.

have every disadvantage of hammerless guns, with but one of the corresponding advantages. An attempt was made about 1876, by some gunmakers, to substitute a self-cocking gun for the hammerless, but the attempt
signally failed.

Another compromise

is the semi-hammerless gun, in which fingerless

are placed upon the outside of the lock plate, instead of being
arranged within the gun.
The advantages claimed are that the gun is neater in appearance that
there can be no mistake as to whether or not the gun be at full cock.
There is, however, nothing to show that the gun is loaded ; all guns should

hammers

always be treated as loaded

accidents would then be rare.

safer than the hammerless

The Semi-hammerless cannot be said to be

when all things are taken into consideration
;

plicated,

and

is

it

is

somewhat more com-

not likely to find favour with the generality of sportsmen.

MODERN SHOT

I4

GUNS.

EARLY HAMMERLESS GUNS.

the lock mechanism
hammerless gun on the drop-down principle,
has been in use
Germany for many
Pruslan
Needle-gun,
the
simitar to
central-fire gun about 1862,
hammerless
a
Mr. Daw introduced
vears
i

his central-fire hammer gun, and

did not attain the popularity of
was taken out for a hammerless
a
1866
In
patent
prac tically abandoned.
to the trigger-plate, and
attached
was
which the lock mechanism

but

it

gun

in

action lever.
the cocking effected by the under

The Murcott Hammerless Gun.

Mr. T. Murcott's hammerless gun, patented in 1871, is typical of the

hammerless and the present cheap hammerless guns.
The one drawback to this gun is the position of the lever. An under
In
lever is neither so handy, so pleasant, nor so quick as a top lever.
the original Murcott the lever had to travel a long distance and required
considerable force faults which in a modern gun are remedied to a very
The Gibbs and Pitt is a modification of the Murcott plan ;
great extent.

first

Woodward's Automatic, Reeves', Lang's, and several others, are variously

improved forms of the original idea, and the Murcott Gun being now
manufactured cheaply, has become very popular with gun-dealers, and in one
of its many forms may be found in almost every gun-shop. The price for a
sound gun on this principle will average ^20 some cheap modifications
;

DESCRIPTIVE.

15

;io, but are not to be recommended, but any one

who, having a preference for the under lever, wishes a hammerless gun at
^25, or thereabouts, should obtain a sound weapon on this principle.
A very simple, effective, and ingenious safety bolt was applied to all
are to be found as low as

Allport's Double-grip

Hammerless Gun.

early Murcott Hammerless Guns ; its position upon the top of ;'the
standing breech was not a handy one, but the bolt itself was very much
better than the majority of complicated mechanisms misnamed "safeties,"
which are applied to the modern modifications of the weapon.

the

ALLPORT'S HAMMERLESS GUN.

This gun consists of an ingenious cocking mechanism and simple

lock,,

MODERN SHOT

!6

combined with the well-known, and

at

grip breech-action.

The mechanism

will

be

easily

GUNS.

one time extremely popular, doubleunderstood

after

reference

to

illustration.

This gun works without any appreciable strain, is easy to cock, am

be strongly recommended to those
being made only in the best style, may
the double-grip breech-action.
who
prefer
sportsmen
A simple trigger-bolting top safety, in connection with an ingenious
mechanism for locking the scears, is usually employed with this gun, but

may be used.
The mechanism is adapted for double and

various safety bolts

single rifles and guns, and

will doubtless receive the
and
durability,
simplicity,
strength,
success it merits.
good ordinary i2-bore shot gun on this principle
the
to
of a London gun-dealer cost from
;
should in the

from

its

^30

shop

^45

The "Club" Hammerless Gun.

There are other double-grip

is not made in very cheap grades.
"
which
is taken as typical of the
hammerless guns besides the
Allport,"

gun

class.

TOP LEVER HAMMERLESS GUNS.

There are several patent hammerless guns with top levers, in which he
is effected by connecting the breech-action lever with
the lock mechanism, so that upon opening the gun for loading the

cocking of the locks

full cock.
The top lever is very popular, but
there are many difficulties to be surmounted before a hammerless gun in
which the cocking is done by the lever, can be produced. The top lever
is short, and the leverage obtained
barely sufficient to easily withdraw the
action bolts, and
compress the action spring. The travel is short,
although sufficient for withdrawing the action bolt ; if the lever be made
to travel further it is not handy, so although many arrangements of levers,
friction rollers, and inclined planes have been tried, it is not surprising that

tumblers are forced into

a really good gun on

this

plan has not yet been produced.

DESCRIPTIVE.

17

causing the holding-down bolt to engage with the barrel lug at the
the barrels are dropped for loading, and utilising the weight of the

By

me

it has been found possible to

Several guns were once popular

falling barrels as well as the action lever,

cock the locks without undue exertion.

c

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

which were made upon this principle, but although they are not now so
makers still offer them.
general, several "gun
The " Club Hammerless Gun made by W. W. Greener is typical of this
In London such guns are offered at ^40, but they are also
class of gun.
made in plain style for export and the country trade, and may be met with
Several safety bolts are applicable, and one or more
at half this price.
will be generally found on all such guns.

THE ANSON AND DEELEY HAMMERLESS GUN.

This gun was produced in 1875, an(^ f r several years enjoyed a
The cocking is
popularity never before attained by a hammerless gun.
The lock
effected by levers pivoted on a common centre with the barrels.
mechanism, which is particularly simple, is arranged within the breechThe cocking levers engage with arms of the tumbler
action body.
extended forward, and when the barrels are dropped for loading, the
cocking levers
joint pin

is

move with them, and carry the locks into full bent. The
The gun about the bree ch has a very square box-like
Several systems of holding down bolts are used in conthe Anson and Deeley lock, but the top-lever and a treble

solid.

appearance.
junction with
grip is the most gent- ral.
The safety usually employed is fixed upon the top, and cuts right
The gun is made in many
through the weakest part of the gun-stock.
qualities, and may be found with the name of almost every maker
English
and foreign. It has been popular in the United States under the name
"
of the "Harrington and Richardson Hammerless.

The
all

from

made on this plan are made with loose hinge pins,

and sometimes without any top connection whatever

cheapest guns

sham top

fastenings,

such guns should be avoided.

.10

to

They

are offered at prices ranging

^20.

made by a reliable manufacturer,

^15, and of course better quality guns. The
some makers are made upon this principle.

serviceable

gun on

this principle,

should be purchased for

best qualities of
By a later patent the lock

being put together without

the original form,

and

is

mechanism

first

is modified to permit of the gun

cocking the locks ; it is not so popular as

somewhat
SCOTT'S

dearer.

HAMMERLESS GUN.

This hammerless gun was introduced to the

gun trade in 1878, and
being made at wholesale for retailers, quickly became popular.
As it is
now offered under many different names, it will be
necessary to illustrate
the mechanism in order that it
may be readily distinguished. The cocking
is effected
by the dropping of the barrels for loading; the mechanism
consists of rods (A)
moving diagonally in the breech-action body, which

DESCRIPTIVE.

19

rods have a notch near their fore extremity, with which studs, c, fixed under
the barrels engage, drawing forward the rods as the breech-ends of the
barrels rise.
The rear extremity of each rod, A, engaging at B with the
tumbler of the lock, pulls it into cock as the rod travels forward. The
lock mechanism is affixed to side lock plates, which are usually furnished
with crystal apertures, H, through which the position of the tumbler

which

is often gilt
may be seen.
Several improvements have been added to this gun, and
opened and closed with ease, and is pleasant to use.

Mechanism

The

chief points

of Scott's

by which

it

it

may now be

differentiated are

the crystal

Hammerless Gun.

may be

These checks
apertures, H, the studs, c, under the barrels and gas-checks.
consist of blued-steel discs let into the face of the standing breech, having
the strikers for their centre.
groove is made near the circumference oi

which joins a similar duct running horizontally across the

This check may be likened to the
standing breech to each extremity.
trench dug round a bell tent, and its purpose is to provide an exit for
any gas that may blow from the cartridge by reason of a badly-fitting cap
or faulty cap dome.
The Scott Gun, under one or other of its many aliases, may be purchased
at prices from 18 guineas to more than double that amount.

the

discs,

PURDEY'S HAMMERLESS GUN.

Another principle for the lock and cocking mechanism of hammerless

guns is illustrated in the Purdey Hammerless, which is typical of several
patented systems possessed by London gunmakers of considerable renown

c2

MODERN SHOT GUNS.

20

must be illustrated to convey any adequate

Here, again, the mechanism
is that of a rebounding lock, which,
full cock immediately the gun is

The principle
idea of its working.
to
instead of rebounding to half, goes

Purdey's Hammerless Gun.

The spring is cramped or set as the gun is closed, by means of

cam shown in dotted lines in the accompanying illustration.
be neatly and symmetrically
Sporting guns made on this principle may

opened.

the rod and

W. W.

Greener's Treble Wedge-Fast

Hammerless Gun.

fashioned, and have the appearance of compactness which the ordinary

front action lock conveys.
It is somewhat hard to close, but has fewer
drawbacks than many hammerless guns, cocking with the opening of the
barrels.

The

price of this

gun

is

about seventy guineas.

DESCRIPTIVE.
THE "GREENER
In

21

HAMMERLESS GUN.

gun the cocking is effected by the barrels. In general appearance

the gun has not the squareness or box-like form about the breech-action
common to the Anson and Deeley, and several other hammerless guns.
The breech-action is neat, rounded beneath near the fore end, and not greatly
this

from an ordinary gun in size.

substitution of a screw hinge-pin for the solid pivot of the Anson
and Deeley adds to the strength and solidity of the breech-action.
In the lock mechanism the tumblers are roughly of the nature employed
differing

The

Mechanism

of Greener's

Hammerless Gun.

by Needham and Anson and Deeley, but are acted upon by a swivel catch
The above illustration shows
pivoted in the under lump of the barrels.
As the barrels are dropped for loading,
the arrangement of the mechanism.
the breech-ends rise, and the swivel, engaging with the turned-in extremities

them to full cock, the weight of the barrels being

There are no "lifting dogs."
both tumblers to full bent.
The gun is readily taken apart and put together, it being immaterial
whether the gun is cocked or not upon replacing the barrels. The breech
"
mechanism is the " Treble Wedge-fast already described, and this permits
of a stronger and lighter hammerless gun being made than has yet been
This gun is readily obtainable at
constructed upon any other principle.

of the tumblers, carries

sufficient to carry

prices

from sixteen to

fifty

guineas.

MODERN SHOT

22

GUNS.

HAMMERLESS "EJECTING GUNS."

like perfected military firearms, eject
sporting breech-loaders,
There are
This principle is certain to obtain popularity.
that every cartridge case
difficulties in the way; but it should be remembered
should be comparatively
after being fired contracts, and consequently is or
the right kind to effect
of
force
little
but
loose in the chamber, requiring

Modern

the fired case.

its

dislodgement.

THE NEEDHAM EJECTOR GUN.

With Mr. Joseph Needham originated the idea of having a separate
extractor for each barrel for the purpose of using self-acting mechanism to
extract the cartridge case.
In the Needham Ejector Gun a separate extractor is used for each lock ;
is
the tumbler of each lock when released from bent
i.e., when the gun

mechanism will engage

opened, and the fired cartridge be thrown clear of the
The ejecting force lies in the mainspring of the lock, and is in no
gun.
way dependent upon the lever, nor does it require a special effort from the

fired

with

falls

it

into such a position that the extractor

as the

gun

is

shooter.

In the Needham Ejector the barrels are forced upwards by the lever ;
a modification is also made with a top lever, but even in its cheapest form
the gun is well worth the thirty or more pounds asked for it.

DESCRIPTIVE.

MODERN SHOT

24

GUNS.

GREENER'S SELF-ACTING EJECTOR GUN.

This gun possesses a breech-action that

is

self-cocking, an extractor that is self-ejecting.

in principle akin to that of the Needham

self-fastening, a lock that is

The mechanism is simple, and

The breech
Ejector Gun.

is the patent Treble Wedge-fast ; the lock mechanism that of

The cocking
Greener's Hammerless Gun already described.
mechanism is the same, modified to admit of the ejecting mechanism.
This modification consists of the addition of a stud, which is left in
the cocking swivel about midway
immediately beneath this stud project
the lower extremities of two ejecting levers, pivoted in the barrel lump and

mechanism

W. W.

Mechanism

of Greener's Ejector Gun.

communicating with the legs of the extractors. Each extractor acts independently of the other, and in connection only with its own barrel and lock,
and thus it is impossible for an unfired cartridge to be thrown out.
On
Presuming that the gun has been fired, the action is as follows
opening the barrels, the tumblers are raised by their turned-in forward
extremities bearing on the additional stud of the
cocking swivel. When
nearly to cock, they slip past the stud and fall sharply upon the ejector's
lower arms, and the extractors, already forced partly out
by a lever iri the
fore-end in the usual manner, are violently
propelled to their full extent by
the blow, and flip out the fired cases.
If one cartridge only be fired, the other lock
remaining at cock does
:

not engage with the cocking swivel or

ejecting lever ; consequently unfired
cartridges are simply withdrawn to the ordinary extent.

DESCRIPTIVE.

The power
falling,

25

available for ejecting the cases

from reasons already explained

is that of the mainspring

the ejecting of the fired case is

effected perfectly.

The gun requires most careful adjustment, and although theparts are few
and most simple to ensure perfect working the utmost precision is necessary
in centreing and shaping the various limbs.
Consequently, the gun can
only be made by experienced workmen, and must be made of best quality
The prices, therefore, range from forty guineas for a gun
throughout.

The principle
plainly finished to sixty for those elaborately ornamented.
of ejecting may be used with suitable mechanism upon various hammerless
and hammer guns, but owing to the success of the author's ejecting gun,
somewhat similar, but less perfect, mechanisms are in the market, whilst
there are numerous imitations so very inferior that the sportsman will
readily shun them.

THE DEELEY EJECTOR GUN.

This ejector gun is of a different type to the Needham, extra lock
mechanism is provided for the purpose of expelling the empty cases and
;

The Deeley

Ejector Gun.

Deeley gun this additional mechanism is placed in the fore-end of

the gun.
The hammer of the second lock, when released by its scear,
strikes the leg of the extractor and flips out the fired case ; the scear is
liberated by the falling of the striker of the ordinary lock altering the
position of its mainspring, pushing it forward nearly one-eighth of an inch
towards the muzzle of the gun, and thereby coming into contact with the

in the

mechanism provided

The

hammer.
Anson and Deeley gun, and

for the release of the ejecting

ordinary lock

mechanism

is

that of the

26

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

The "Gye" Hammerless Gun.

DESCRIPTIVE.

27

is cocked by the act of opening the gun; the ejecting locks more
nearly
resemble the ordinary gun lock, and are cocked as tue gun is closed.
The split extractor, one for each barrel, is the main feature of the
Needham ejector gun, and is adopted in this principle, but the complication of the parts for the purpose of producing the ejection of the tired
case is carried to quite an absurd extent when it is remembered that equal
results are obtained with but one lock, and that a strong and simpler one.

GUNS OF DIVERS SYSTEMS.

There is no rule as to the principle on which sporting guns may be
constructed.
Ingenious gunmakers have devised multifarious plans for
effecting the loading at the breech, the cocking of the locks, the ejection of
the fired cases ; in most cases, however, deviating only in detail Irom one
or other of the typical weapons already described.
Among the bolder
inventors certain guns have been manufactured and vended which possess
widely distinct traits, not necessarily novel.
To enumerate a few only of these the Lancaster Four- barrel led Gun,
in which the barrels are arranged two upon two quadrilaterally, and
the cocking mechanism is similar to that of the old Elliott pistol ; the
Gye Gun, in which the barrels are a fixture and the breech piece is
movable, sliding horizontally to the right to give access to the chamber ;
the Dickson Self-ejecting Gun, in which the lock and extracting mechanism
is arranged upon the trigger-plate ;
the Under-and-Over Gun, in which the
barrels are arranged one over the other instead of being placed side by
side ; double guns with a single trigger ; the Dougall breech mechanism,
in which the barrels move forward, as well as tilt on the eccentric hinge
pin all of which guns are actually made.
Many details of minor importance are much insisted upon by some
manufacturers such as the nature and position of the safety bolt, on the
Front or back action locks, &c., all are
top, on the side, or beneath.
matters which may with safety be entrusted to the gunmaker, unless the
pui chaser is used to, or has a predilection for, any special detail of this or
:

like nature.

To

characterise guns by such feeble traits

is

beyond the

scope of this work ; but readers interested will find much additional information on these points in "THE GUN," a work of which mention has
already been made.

NOVELTIES.

A gun has been recently introduced in which the lever to operate the
breech mechanism is placed in the comb of the stock. This permits of
great

leverage;

it

is

as

quickly manipulated as the usual

top

lever,

and from its length and position permits of greater pressure being put
lightly fastened
upon the mechanism to withdraw clogged or otherwise
bolts.
The action spring is stronger, the " bite " on the bolts therefore

MODERN SHOT

28

GUNS.

-there is but little friction, but owing to the bolt being held in
a
direct spring, it does not keep firmly to its work when the
position by
tighter,

gun,

is

and

fired.

of the breech-action is improved by the removal of the

whether or not the gun, as a whole, is improved in appearance
that the gun
sportsmen will decide. The lever is so conveniently placed
The price should be the same as that of other
is sure to have admirers.

The appearance

lever, but

treble-grip guns.

Comb-Lever Treble-grip Gun.

REPEATING SHOT GUNS.

The Repeating Shot Gun is a weapon recently introduced, doubtless

with the intention of securing a mercantile success equal to that achieved by
Let it be granted that the
the Winchester and kindred magazine rifles.
a point the author will by no
repeating rifle is the best of sporting rifles
means concede it does not follow that a shot gun constructed upon the
same principle will fulfil the requirements of the wing shot.
Repeating shot guns may be made with an under lever, travelling as
does the Winchester, Martin, Kennedy, and other well-known magazine
and such is the Larsen, a gun of Belgian manufacture, but
rifles;
which is not at present popular, nor likely to attain any marked
success.

A more popular repeating shot gun is the Spencer, a gun in which the
mechanism is worked by the left hand. The fore-end is furnished with a
"
"hand-piece sliding longitudinally, and actuating a more simple mechanism
than that usually found in repeating arms.
The gun can be functioned by the left hand whilst held to the
shoulder, and without greatly disturbing the aim.
The well-known shot, Dr. W. F. Carver, attempted to give a " boom "
to this gun.
He matched himself against time, had six Spencer shot
Dr. Carver failed, the guns jamming
guns, and two assistants to load.
From what the author knows of
owing, it is said, to faulty shells.
Dr. Carver, and having supplied him with
many thousands of shells and

DESCRIPTIVE.
loaded cartridges, he

is

29

of opinion that this clever professional shot had

as they could be made before he

and everything else as perfect

entered upon a trial of such importance.

cartridges

A public trial of the Spencer shot gun

took place in America, and the following
"
sentences are culled from the
Official
"Defective shells were then
Report":
fired.
Result Slight escape of gas
above and below the breech mechanism,
but none towards the rear." " Considerable
.

escape above and below, setting paper on

fire in one case ; no escape of gas towards
the rear."

The gun was

time,

out

tested for rapidity, irrespec-

"

tive of aim.

Firer,

one minute
not

fired."

commencing
of the gun

expert for the Board

Magazine

to

fire.

two thrown
loaded before

eight fired

"

Firer, representative

one

minute ; rounds fired,

Firer for the Board
time, one
twenty-two.
minute ; fired twelve ; thrown out not fired
three."
Used as a single loader that is,
;

without calling upon the magazine

eighteen
The
per minute could be fired.
ordinary double-barrelled ejecting shot gun
can be fired upwards of thirty times per
shots

and

minute,

has been fired and aimed

it

c/j

twenty-six times in less than one minute,

when the trial had to be discontinued as the
barrels had become too hot to hold.
The

summary

states

" In
all the tests over 378 rounds have
been fired from the gun. Of these, ten were

with defective shells and eight with excessive

charges, varying from 120 to 150 grains of
powder, with, in several cases, double charges
of buckshot.
"

The gun remains

in excellent conserviceable qualities is

concerned, none of the parts being injured
or out of order.
It has passed very well
the various tests to which the Board has subjected it, and the Board is of the opinion that the strength and endurance
of the gun are entirely satisfactory.
" In
the firing by the expert of the Board, Mr. R. T. Hare, seven
dition,

as far as

its

30

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

six in firing rapidly at will, and

cartridges were thrown out unexploded,
one in firing for rapidity with accuracy. In the rapid firing by the expert
three unexploded cartridges were thrown out.
representatives of the gun,
This does not include those thrown out because of defective primers, but

those cases where the cartridges were not fired because of premature pulling
were in position to be struck by the
trigger, before the primers
In the firing by the members of the Board but little difficulty
firing-pin.

on the

of this kind was experienced."

THE WINCHESTER REPEATING SHOT GUN.

This gun was introduced in the summer of 1887, and has not so far
The gun is worked by an under lever,
achieved an enviable reputation.
as in the well-known Winchester rifle, but the mechanism is more
compact ; in fact, the gun is neater in appearance than any repeating shot
gun yet introduced, and as a repeater does its work fairly well.

There are perhaps some sportsmen who are inclined to treat the reThe author cannot do so, for although he
peating shot guns an serienx.
admits the mechanism to be ingenious, the results obtained by their use
do not warrant their general adoption.
A travelling representative of a firm who manufacture a repeating shot
gun, and who was himself expert in the use of the gun, was challenged
by a sportsman he met casually to shoot a match with him against time,
the sportsman to use a Greener self-acting ejector gun, the expert his
The result of the match was that the sportsman won
repeating shot gun.
by breaking 90 glass balls out of 100 in seven minutes; the expert broke
the same number, but occupied more than ten minutes in
In this
firing.
contest the guns became so hot that they had to be cooled
by being
submerged in a tub of water after every ten or fifteen shots.

SECTION

III.

ANALYTICAL.

THE PARTS OF THE GUN.

THE

ordinary double-barrelled modern shot gun is composed of 95 pieces,

of which the most important are the barrels.
Barrels may be of plain iron, plain steel, or twisted
when they are
:

known

technically as scelp-, single-, double-, three-, four-, iron

Damascus,

stub Damascus, laminated steel.

The plain iron barrel is made of a piece of charcoal iron bent round a
These
mandril, and lap-welded from breech to muzzle between rolls.
barrels are cheap, figureless
and even when perfectly welded and made
from the best iron, are quite unfitted for the purpose for which they are
used.
Many breech-loaders having "decarbonised steel" barrels are
;

The English Laminated

furnished in reality with
treated in the same way
of pairs are made and
check upon this fraud

Silver Steel

Damascus

Steel Barrel.

these worthless tubes.

forms a tube

sold annually ;
part of barrel

on the

Barrel.

piece of

sheet steel

more unsound, but thousands

and as there is practically no

still

maker,

barrel

dealer,

Plain Laminated Steel Barrel.

it is quite possible that such barrels

filer, gunmaker or gundealer,
If the sportsare substituted for the best quality of plain steel barrel.
man has perfect faith in the honesty of the gunseller, and sufficient faith
to believe that none
of the persons through whom the barrel ha<:
passed would be party to such a fraud, he will buy a gun with plain steel
barrel on the seller's recommendation; if he lacks this faith he will purchase

barrel

MODERN SHOT GUNS

A
best twist barrels, he

Fine English Damascus Crolle Barrel.

is

them at the request of any sportsvery pleased to use

man

requiring them.
from the solid or
Siemens' steel and several other varieties drilled

An

English Single- I

drawn into tubes in the rolling mill, are offered at a less price than .the
Whitworth barrels, and are often inferior in quality.
Of " twisted'' gun barrels, "scelp" is the cheapest. In appearance it

An

English Scelp Barrel.

any variety of Damascus. The

of narrow lines, light and dark alternately, which run
It is made
spirally round and round the barrel from breech to muzzle.
from cheap iron, and is only fitted for large heavy barrels.

is

inferior to

figure

either laminated steel or

consists

ANALYTICAL.

33

Damascus and laminated steel barrels have a " cross-figure

in
addition to the spiral figure from breech to muzzle, and it is the fineness of
this cross figure and the proportion of light to dark lines that will enable
even a tyro to distinguish the quality of the barrel.
"

Fine Stripe Belgian Damascus Barrel.

The illustrations show the chief varieties of twisted gun-barrels.

The barrel, when finished and browned, shows \\\Q grain of the metal of
which it is composed. The darker parts are of iron, the lighter of steel.

Belgian Ordinary Two-iron Damascus or

Best barrels have as

they are composed.

much as eighty per cent,

The more the metal

Greener's Solid-Weldless-Twist

' '

Boston

"

Barrel.

of steel in the metal of which

is worked
the better is its

Gun

Barrel.

Only the very best iron will stand the severe twisting to which a
Damascus barrel is subjected in the course of manufacture.
"
"
crolle
Damascus is a pleasing but otherwise useless
Variegated, or
deviation from the true Damascus
figure.
Laminated steel gun barrels are welded from a differently composed
quality.

very fine

34

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

"

gun-iron" than are Damascus barrels, and

the sole difference between steel Damascus
and laminated steel does not consist in the
manipulation, twisting, and hammering of the
"
Modern
rods, as is erroneously stated in the
and
Rifle."
The
difference
Gun
Sportsman's
existing between the various twist gun barrels,
and full particulars as to the manufacture of
the iron for gun barrels, with much other
information bearing on this point, the reader
" The Gun and its
will find in
"

;'

if

Development/'
he wishes to further examine this purely

technical matter.

Another variety of gun barrel, admirably

adapted to sporting and military rifles, as

"
as shot guns, is the author's
solid"
weldless-twist barrel, shown in the preceding
well

illustration.

The

grain of the metal runs spirally, as

barrels, but there are no welds.
It has every essential quality of a gun barrel,
but can only be produced at a great cost
compared with other twist barrels.
in

Damascus

The barrels technically known as tubes

are joined together at the breech by brazing
to each other and the barrel lumps, at the
muzzle by soldering to each other, and

',

',

The Top and Rib

of Greener's

Laminated Silver-Steel Barrels.

at

various intervals to packing.

The top and
bottom ribs are soldered to the barrel, as is
also the loop to which the fore-end is fastened.
The top rib may be grooved, or it may be
flat ; it may be left plain, or it may be engineturned file-cut roughened, or engraved, at the
choice of the sportsman.
All shot gun barrels are now more or less
choke-bored that is to say, that the barrel is
at the muzzle of a less internal diameter than
at some point behind the muzzle other than
the chamber.
gun barrel constricted to the
extent of five-thousandths of an inch is termed
a "modified choke;" a full choke is constricted to twenty or thirty thousandths
the
larger the bore, proportionately greater must
be the constriction. There are two distinct
forms of choke
the true choke is obtained
:

ANALYTICAL.

35

by boring the barrel cylinder for nearly the whole length, contracting it at
from 2\ to 3 inches from the muzzle.
The other plan is to enlarge the
bore immediately behind the muzzle, extending the enlargement from 2 to

Various Styles of

Gun

Barrel Boring- "Cylinders."

4 inches towards the breech.

modification of this plan is formed by
enlarging the first choke towards the breech in a more elongated foim
still another modification is made
(No. 5)
by enlarging the barrels from
;

D 2

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

the breech to within two or three inches of the muzzle.

The No. 6 is
the true, or Greener Choke ; No. 4, the " Fairburn," or Recess Choke.
true cylinder barrel (No. i) is rarely made, the ordinary so-called

Various Styles of

"Choke"

Boring.

cylinders being relieved at both ends, as in No.

No.

2,

or bored taper, as in

3.

There are various

degrees of choke.
They may be classified as -the
-choke, the half-choke, the quarter-choke, the
improved cylinder. There

ANALYTICAL.
is

and can be only one true cylinder

37

the so-called improved cylinder

is

a barrel slightly choke-bored.

With a i2-bore gun, standard load, distance,

and conditions, the ordinary full-choke will
make an average pattern of

The half-choke
The quarter-choke ...
The improved cylinder
The old, or true cylinder

...

...

...

...

...

...

215
185
160

140

pellets.

,,

115

Better shooting than average ot 215 pellets can be obtained from an

extra full choke-bored i2-bore gun.
The chamber is of great importance it should not be more than
ten thousandths of an inch larger in diameter than the smallest case to
;

The 12-Bore

Cartridge Chamber.

be fired from it ; its axis should be one with the axis of the barrel, and it
should taper in a gradual cone into the bore of the barrel.
The above
illustration gives the correct internal diameter of the best i2-bore chamber

make of cases.
Guns with chambers with sudden cone should be avoided.
The extractor is let into the breech end of the barrel, the lower

for brass, paper, English, or other

leg

working in a hole, which should be drilled through the lump, but sometimes faultily drilled in the barrels, to their great detriment.
The extractor
has sometimes a second /eg, which in cheap guns not unfrequently works
in a hole cut in one or both barrels, and weakens them
dangerously.
There is no doubt that the majority of gun barrels which burst at the
breech have thus faultily fitted extractors.
The breech-action comprises the breech-action body or frame, to which
the barrels are fitted, and in which work the holding-down and top bolts.
The joint-pin is that upon which the barrels are hinged, and the joint
is that turned semicircle against which the fore-end-iron abuts.
The locks

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

The Modern
Rebounding Gun Lock and

its

Parts.

ANALYTICAL.

39

hammer gun may

\>z front-action (bar), in which case the

mainspring
cut in the action body, or they may be back-action, and wholly
third lock occasionally used is the solid bar, in which
let into the stock.
the appearance is that of a bar lock, but the arrangement of the mechanism
that of the back action.
The parts of the ordinary rebounding gun lock are the mainspring
(i); the bridle and scear-spring pins (2) ; the swivel (3) ; the scear (4) ; the
scear-spring (7); the bridle (9) ; the tumbler (n); the tumbler-pin (10) ;
the firing mechanism in connection with the lock consists in its simplest
form of the hammer (5) ; the striker (8) ; the nipple (6).

in

lies in slots

different striker

is

preferred in America

it is

as

shown below

The

lock mechanism of hammerless guns is sometimes very simple,

In those guns having side-locks the mechanism
complicated.
is usually
similarly arranged to that shown in Section II., with the
When arranged on the trigger-plate,
description of the "Murcott" Gun.
it is too often
When arranged in the breech-action
very complicated.
body, it is found in its simplest form. In the original Anson and Deeley
the lock and exploding mechanism consisted of mainspring, tumbler, scear,
This
scear-spring, and pin, and wire pivots for tumbler and scear.
arrangement of the lock mechanism has been generally followed in
succeeding patents,, and it is only by the use of the Needham scear
that this very simple lock can be still further simplified.
With the
Needham scear no scear-spring is required, the tumbler forcing the scear
often

into bent.

The

locks of hammerless guns require some self-acting mechanism

the tumblers to cock, and make the gun ready for firing.
The clumsy expedient of a separate lever on the exterior of the gun, to be
worked by the hand, is altogether out of the question ; and it is not to the
credit of world-renowned American ingenuity that a reputable American
gunmaker has produced and sold this miserable contrivance, to the exclusion
of better mechanisms.
The various guns which "cock" by the "lever,"
the " barrels," or by springs, have already been described, and it will suffice
if here is
simply detailed the mechanism of one of the most, if not the most,
perfect barrel-cocker.
cocking swivel pivoted in the barrel lump has a hooked extremity,
which, engaging with the lock tumblers, carries them to full cock as the

which

will raise

barrels are dropped for loading.

sliding stem, having an abutment
against the fore-end, keeps the cocking swivel in its position, and permits of
the barrels being put into the breech-action body, irrespective of the position of the tumblers
that is, whether cocked or not.
:

40

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

ANALYTICAL.
SAFETY BOLTS.
Nearly

all

hammerless guns are fitted with one or more safety bolts, the
two distinct kinds those automatic in their action, and

said bolts being of

those dependent

upon the hand of the shooter

to put

them

to

"

safe."

Automatic safety bolts are usually applied to the lock tumblers in the
shape of a secondary scear or as an intercepting bolt.
They are neither

more

or less than the half-cock of the old muzzle-loading gun.

One

of the most popular

is

the Scott,

shown

in the

accompanying

illustrations.

The Cocking Mechanism

of

W. W.

Greener's Facile Princeps Hammerless Gun.

lever is pivoted so that its one extremity, c, comes into contact with
the trigger exactly as does the scear, D.
projection, A, on the other
extremity of this lever will, under certain conditions, block the tumbler, B,
In the three figures the
so as to prevent its reaching the exploding pin, E.
lock is shown cocked and ready for firing in the first ; in the second the
trigger has been pulled, and the tumbler released and struck the striker, E.
In the last it is supposed that the tumbler has been liberated by some
means other than the pulling of the trigger, and the tumbler has conseThis
quently failed to reach E, being effectually blocked by the stud A.
safety, as made, is not strong enough to be relied on implicitly.
secondary scear, working exactly as, but quite independently of, the
ordinary scear, effects the same purpose, and is used by the author on some

guns, also on guns made by others.

As this order of safety provides in

no way

for accidental discharge

by

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

accident to the trigger or from inadvertently touching it. a trigger

addition to the
safety is used in
intercepting safety, and this may be
either automatic or independent in
its

action.

The common form

a
top of the
"
into

trigger safety

on the
gun thrown

is

of

bolt sliding
hand of the

safe," by gearbolt on
ing with the holding-down
the opening of the gun, and re-

forward by
quiring to be pushed
the shooter before the gun can be
It requires a slot through
fired.
the hand of the stock at its weakest
dispoint, and is certainly better
pensed with.
The Greener side safety bolts
the triggers, and is independent in
its
action, although it may be
made automatic if so desired. It
is shown on page 24, and neither
weakens the stock nor detracts
from its appearance. In action it
The safety
is
most effective.
consists of a round rod which
has a flat filed upon it, the said

side being so placed that

the trigger slips by, but as soon
as the rod is turned five degrees
they are held down by the rod
flat

Scott's

Automatic Intercepting Safety Bolt.

itself.

The old grip safety of muzzle-loading days, of so little use because the
gun when carried is usually gripped on the safe, and the triggers consequently left free, has been resuscitated, and in several forms is used by
various gunmakers.
The "Silver" safety is on this principle, but with
gearing so modified that not only are the triggers bolted, but the scears
and tumblers also, as they are all unbolted immediately the gun is
grasped.

With the muzzle-loaders a shoulder safety bolt was also used somemovable heel-plate connected by a rod with a safety
mechanism. As soon as the gun was pressed to the shoulder the triggers,
&c., were released, but as this was also the case when the gun was placed
on the ground for loading and
ramming home the charge, it was of little

times, consisting of a

use as a safety.

In 1879 the author introduced a certain modification for

ANALYTICAL

43

MODERN SHOT

44

GUNS.

It
hammerless breech-loading guns, but it did not have much popularity,
has since been several times re-invented by ambitious makers.
There are various complicated mechanisms misnamed safeties, which
would require more space to describe than they merit, and they should
all sportsmen who regard their own
certainly be studiously avoided by
safety and that of their companions.
The dimensions and shape of the gun stock have been discussed
and at present there is
amongst sportsmen and gunmakers for many years,
no definite authority for having the gun stock shaped to any of the

prevalent fashions.

The measures of the gun stock, including the bend^i the gun, are of the
utmost importance to the user of the gun, and must suit his particular

The German Horn Grip Guard.

as well as the stock being of such dimensions as
may determine.
length of arm, breadth of chest, &c.
The adjoined figure shows an outline of the ordinary sporting gun
The measures of a
stock, as used by the majority of British sportsmen.

method of handling the gun,

the shooter's build

i.e.,

gun stock may be ascertained as follows

Take a

wood

or iron with a perfectly straight edge, sufficiently

long to reach from the sight on the muzzle to the extremity of the butt ;
lay this straight-edge along the rib, and measure the distance from A to
HEEL, and from B to COMB. This is the BEND. The LENGTHS required
will be from the centre of the fore or right-hand trigger to the HEEL,
CENTRE, and TOE respectively, and the depth from the heel to the toe.
The circumference of the hand may be obtained by passing a string round
it immediately behind the
In taking
trigger-guard, measuring the string.
the length, measure the extreme length, and not to the edge of the heelThe dimensions given above are in due proportion, and as usually
plate.

piece of

made for English and American sportsmen respectively.

CAST OFF is the amount the stock is thrown out of truth with

the barrels

ANALYTICAL.

-45

in a lateral direction (vide p. 51).

Most gun stocks are twisted over that
"
cast off" than the heel
is, the toe of the butt is more
the usual "cast
off" is 3-i6ths for heel, and 3-8ths for toe.
The
of "cast off" is to

object

admit of a proper aim being easily taken, and the amount will
vary according to the build and physique of the person for whom the gun is constructed.
BALANCE. This is always to be measured from the breech ends of the
barrels.
It is best to balance the
gun on thin string.

There are other shapes of gun

The Horn

Gun

before

stocks,

modifications of these

two

Guard Gun Stock.

Stock with Champfered Butt.

which many sportsmen are acquainted, but to others they will

be novel, and may offer certain advantages. First, there is the horn guard,
This
equivalent to the scroll guard of the old-fashioned English rifle.
guard is supposed to allow a better and firmer grip of the gun to be
obtained with the right hand the same advantage as claimed for the
types, with

hand stock, and it moreover prevents the fourth finger of the right
hand from being bruised by the back of the trigger-guard.
The horn guard is much used by some Continental sportsmen, and the
German gunmakers particularly, fashion it into an ornamental fitting for

pistol

either the shot

gun or

rifle.

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

ANALYTICAL.

47

Another Continental form is the shield guard, or horn before guard.

With this style of stock the gun is grasped just in front of the trigger
guard by the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, the palm of the left
hand and the remaining fingers being firmly pressed against the guard.
This style of holding the gun is not to be commended, but it must be
admitted that many fine shots are to be found who never hold their gun
" Shield "
guard is shown on the illustration of the Belgian
differently. The
muzzle-loader.

Sometimes guns are made with a stud, handle, or projection screwed

perpendicularly into the fore-end, and which is grasped by the left hand.
With this stock the gun lies upon the clenched fist. It is not to be
recommended, nor is it much used ; its use, however, sometimes corrects
the very bad fault of grasping the gun with the left hand at various
distances from the breech, a practice injurious to good or even fair
shooting.

The lengths of the gun stock from fore trigger to toe and heel will
regulate the angle of the butt, and the cast off'will throw the butt over a
little, so that unless the butt were rounded or champfered, its edge only
would touch against the shoulder. The amount of champfer required will
depend upon the amount of cast off, and the build of the person for whom
gun is intended. Dr. W. F. Carver always shoots with a heelplate not
i.e., very much shorter to centre than to the extremionly much hollowed
but also champfered so as to fit squarely against the muscles of his
ties
shoulder.
Many shooters will find it more comfortable to shoot with a
gun having the butt so rounded or sloped than with the usual butt, which

the

is

of equal length to either edge.

Another form of gun stock is that

much used on cheap guns for South

American sportsmen. The style is not unlike that of the Continental guns
of the latter end of last century, and there are many first-class muzzleloading guns of French make which have the stocks fashioned to this
It must be admitted that they have the
model, which handle well.
appearance of a clumsily finished weapon, and few English sportsmen
would think that quick and accurate shooting could be got from a gun with
such a stock, but a trial of a well-balanced weapon having this style of
stock will convince any one that this shape of the stock is conducive
to rapid aiming.
The rational stock has been recently introduced by the
author, and it will, he thinks, be found to embody qualities long sought in
pistol hand and very straight stocks.
In this stock, as will be seen from the illustration, there is more than
the usual bend at the bump or heel, and that the comb is not straight, but
arched slightly and as the cheek touches the stock about midway between
the heel and the thumb, it is there, and there only, that the stock need be
;

straight.
it

With the usual English gun stock, put up in the usual manner,
be found that about one-third of the upper part of the butt projects.

will

48

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

Shooting a Straight- Stocked Gun.

EXPLANATION. At the time of firing the whole of the butt-plate

should be in contact with the shoulder of the shooter.
When firing at
ground game this is almost impossible with a straight gun stock having
the usual amount of toe.
Usually the gun stock projects much above the
shooter's shoulder
as shown
the result being that the recoil causes the
gun to jump up. If the gun be fired whilst held as shown above, the
cheek of the shooter would have to sustain a goodly share of the force of
the recoil.

ANALYTICAL,

49

Shooting with a Rational Stock.

EXPLANATION. The rational stock is, at the time of firing, squarel)

bedded against the shoulder of the shooter, and whether firing at ground
game or at birds flying straight over, must always have a greater portion of
its

butt-plate in contact with the shoulder of the shooter than

when using the ordinary straight stock.

to get

it is

possible

MODERN SHOT

5o

GUNS.

above the shooter, and has no bearing against the shoulder. This leaves
the sharp, narrow toe to steady the gun and to take the recoil.
With the rational stock the face of the shooter will be resting upon the
stock when the bump or heel has reached a level of the shoulder, and the
whole of the butt will find a bearing in the hollow of the shooter's shoulder.
"
"
The bend of the gun will, with the rational stock, be about 2.\ inch
at heel, i J at comb, and if midway between heel and comb.
In the rational stock the wood is left thicker at the toe, and thinner
than usual at the heel. This enables the shooter more easily to get his gun
with the large heel and thick comb the stock often
catches against the shoulder, &&& jumps afterwards to the position from
which it is fired. It is believed that by reversing the taper of the butt the
gun will invariably be brought with greater certainty and speed to its
proper bearing at the shoulder.
The rational gun stock also, instead of being straight from trigger bow
This reaching of the
to toe, is arched slightly near the end of the grip.
stock is a very modified form of pistol grip, and allows not only of a firmer
and easier grip being taken, but also permits the elbow to fall lower and to
a more natural position when the gun is at the shoulder and about
The gun stock must be so fashioned that the butt shall be
to be fired.
at a right angle, or nearly so, to the barrels, and the gun will stand with the
barrels almost perpendicular.
Some, however, prefer that the gun when
stood upright shall be such that the sight and the centre of the butt shall be
in a plumb-line.
The cast off, as already explained, is the lateral deviation of the stock
from the common axis of the barrels. This permits of the barrels being
into proper position

more

readily aligned.

In the gun with the cheek-piece the cast off of the gun is almost, and frequently quite annulled by the projection on the left side of the stock called
the cheek-piece.
From the dotted lines in the illustration indicating the full centre it will
be seen that the stock has an advantage to the right, but this advantage is
compensated for by the projecting cheek-piece, which at the centre of the
stock actually projects beyond the true line.
The use for and necessity of cast off will at once become apparent on
an examination of the next illustration, showing a gun so cast over that it
may be aligned from the right shoulder with the left eye. This kind of
stock serves a very useful purpose.
Unfortunately, too many shooters lose
the sight of the right eye from some
mishap when using their guns, and to
such a gun with a stock of this description is an absolute necessity.
But
more than one style of stock has been devised for these sportsmen, and the
second model shown is of the two to be preferred ; it is quite as handy and
strong, and gives the same shaped comb at the same angle as an ordinary
stock.
The " Monopeian " gun comes into this same category, although
the result obtained is not
by bending over or so fashioning the stock that

ANALYTICAL.

Gun Stock

with Cheek

Piece.

Stock cast over for

eye.

left

MODERN SHOT

52
the
is

GUNS.

left eye may see over to the rib and align the gun, but the sight
brought out to the left side of the left barrel, and an additional

sight affixed to the breech.

The illustration will give

"

Monopeian
Showell, and

"

is

gun, which

is

an accurate idea of the principle of the

the invention of the Rev. E. Elmhirst, B.A., of

used by many monopeians, who can

testify to its utility for

The disadvantages arising from

the purpose for which it was intended.
over for the left eye are obviated by this
firing a gun with the stock bent
With the very much cast off stock the left barrel must fire to the left,
gun.
and the gun will handle clumsily to any one who has been used to the
ordinary gun stock, but a single gun will not appear so clumsy in this
respect as a double-barrelled one.
The " Monopeian " gun has two sights attached to the left barrel, one at
These sights project about
the breech, the other at or near to the muzzle.
one inch from the barrel, as in the illustration, and the back sight need not be
more than lo-sixteenths, and the fore sight more than one half-inch above
the top of the barrels if the stock is properly constructed.
The stock of the gun must be of well-seasoned walnut, as beautifully
marked as can be found. The furniture, that is, triggers, guard, heel-plate,
escutcheon, &c., fashioned to taste.
The fore-end will also be of walnut-wood, and should be readily detachable from the barrel. Either of the illustrated bolts will permit of this, and
they will at once be recognised.

ADJUNCTS TO THE BREECH-LOADING SHOT GUN.

There are various devices occasionally added

to the shot

gun with some

specific object, as the fitting of the india-rubber butt-plate, to lessen the

effect of the recoil.
This well-known
has never been equalled

appliance

by any combination of

steel springs,

and the most recent development, a

combination of solid rubber and hollow -rubber pipes in the composition of

the butt-plate, does not seem to offer
any advantage over the original
"
Silver's anti-recoil pad," which cannot, however, be recommended in
preference to a properly fitted stock, with which, if the gun be firmly held,
the recoil will not be felt to be heavier than with the
pad.
A pad to draw on over the butt-plate is provided with an india-rubber
sponge cushion, which, coming between the butt of the gun and the
shoulder of the shooter, in some measure lessens the effect of the recoil,
but the arrangement can only be considered as a temporary one.
A cheek-pad has also been designed, which, drawn over the stock, as in
the annexed drawing, will lighten the blow on the cheek
given sometimes
by a gun which fits badly or is over-loaded. The pad is self-adjusting, and
by altering its position on the stock the fit of a gun may be altered.
The fault with the pad, as made, is that it completely neutralises the
cast off of the gun.

ANALYTICAL,

53

for use from right

shoulder with the left eye.

Bent Stock

The "Monopeian" Gun.

MODERN SHOT GUNS.

54

from the recoil of the upright

prevent the bruising of the forefinger
is sometimes hinged, and is pushed forward
the
trigger
right-hand
trigger,
A more simple way is for the gun to
by the forefinger as the gun recoils.
be built with wider spaces between the triggers, but this may increase the
difference in the length of stock when pulling the right or left-hand trigger.
be covered with soft leather, or with an india-rubber
The

To

trigger may
inflated cover, or

an

inflated india-rubber or leather

guard

may be worn

Fore-ends.

forefinger.
Occasionally the third finger is bruised by the back
of the bow of the trigger-guard, and it may also be protected by a guard, or
a leather, horn, or other stop may be fitted to the trigger-bow.
The sight of the Shot Gun is of little importance ; no gun certainly
looks complete without one.
To some the Gilbert Shooting Corrector will

upon the

prove advantageous.
The finish of a gun, although generally meant to understand the
amount of ornamentation in the way of chequering and gloss upon the
wood-work, in reality means something of much greater importance.
The well-finished gun will not only have a beautiful exterior, but the
barrels, every piece of the mechanism, every bolt, pin, and screw, will
not only be perfectly fitted and well polished, but so placed as to be

A well-finished gun will be well balanced, well bored,

work smoothly, and shoot well, and should have had the greatest care
bestowed upon it in every stage of manufacture, and the greatest attention

of actual service.
will

ANALYTICAL.

55

Finish in this sense cannot be over-rated; finish, as

given to every detail.
meant by the mere scratching and polishing of the exterior, is of less

moment.
Sometimes

it is

convenient to have a sling to the gun, in order that

Hall's Patent Recoil

may be

slung across the shoulder.

For

it

Cheek Pad.

this

purpose there are attachable

slings made, but it is neater to have soldered upon the barrel and screwed
into the stock a swivel for a flat strap, or an eye ; if the latter, a swivel
will

have to be attached to each end of the strap used as a sling.

In gunmaking there are a thousand and one little things to be done,

Gun-barrel Eye for a Swivelled Sling.

which, of little importance in themselves,

a good gun and a gun that will shoot.
In " THE
AND

GUN

ITS

Swivel

make

DEVELOPMENT

"

all

"

for Flat
Sling.

the difference between

the various stages of gun-

making are dealt with at length, and a perusal will convince any reader
that a gun is not an article that can be
produced for a guinea the present
price of ajcommodity sold for and commonly known as a " gun."

SECTION

IV.

TECHNICAL,

CALIBRE.
breech-loading sporting Shot Gun is made in the following gauges
28-diameter of the interior of the barrel being -550 inch, 24-bore -579,
2o-bore 615, 'i6-bore '662 inch, i4-bore '693, i2-bore 729, lo-bore 775,
The nomenclature by
8-bore '835, 4-bore 1*052, 2 -bore 1*325 inch.
"
"
bore used by gunmakers is based upon the size of the bullet mould.
A mould casting fourteen spherical bullets to the pound would be a fourteen-mould ; the barrel that bullet would fit would be a fourteen-bore. The
The calibre
gauge is determined by the size of the cartridge cases.
accurately means the diameter, but the three terms are commonly used

THE

indiscriminately.

WEIGHT.

28-gauge double gun with 26-inch barrels should weigh under 4^1bs. ;
a 24-gauge with 28-inch barrels should weigh 4 jibs. ; a 2o-gauge with
3o-inch barrels should weigh sjlbs. ; with 28-inch barrels 5jlbs. ; with
26-inch barrels 5lbs. ; with 24-inch barrels, and built as a miniature weapon,
4lbs. I20ZS. ; a i6-gauge with 3o-inch barrels may weigh 6flbs., and be made
a powerful weapon, but 6 Jibs, is the full average weight; if with 28-inch
barrels 6J or even 61bs. ; with 25-inch barrels, and built as a miniature
The fourteen-gauge is seldom used; if with 3o-inch
gun, slbs. 2ozs.
barrels a double gun should weigh 6flbs., with 28-inch barrels 6Jlbs., and
a miniature i4-bore gun with 24-inch barrels should weigh 5lbs. 10 ozs.
The i2-gauge ordinary game gun with 3o-inch barrels should weigh 7lbs.,
not over ; if with extra full choke-bored barrels, and intended for use
with full loads, 7lbs.; the i2-gauge 30-inch or 3i-inch, for pigeon shooting,
for heavy loads, shore shooting and general
7^-lbs. ; the i2-gauge 32
utility gun from 7f to Slbs. ; the light i2-gauge game gun, with 28 or 30
inch barrels, 6flbs. ; the short-barrelled covert
gun, 6|lbs. ; the miniature
i2-gauge gun, with 27-inch barrels, and every part proportionately reduced,

The

lo-gauge 3o-inch general Trap and Duck gun S^lbs. ; with 32-inch
duck shooting especially, 9lbs. with 32 or 33-inch barrels, for
heavy charges in long paper or brass cases, 10 to lo^lbs. ; light shortbarrelled 10 bores for
making a large killing circle at moderate ranges, and
for use with large shot,
7f Ibs.
The 8-gauge from 12 to 15 Ibs., the 4-gauge from 15 to iSlbs., the
There is also the miniature 8-gauge, with 32-inch
2-gauge 1 8 to 2olbs.
barrels, nibs.
barrels for

TECHNICAL.

57

Single guns of i6-gauge may weigh about 4lbs., i2-gauge 4flbs.,

lo-gauge ylbs., 8-gauge nibs., 4-gauge islbs., 2-gauge iSlbs.
The weights given above are the average and usual weights, and are
Well-balanced guns
proportionate to the calibre and length of the barrel.
can be made of other weights, but would require to be specially built, with
furniture and fittings of special size.

SHOOTING.
Shooting is technically the pattern and penetration of the gun at a
certain distance with a certain charge.
Gunmakers invariably shoot at
a 3o-inch circle at 40 yards distant from the butt of the gun, and would
L. 200, R. 195.
That is to say,
technically state a gun's shooting thus
that the gun with the standard charge for its gauge has made, or is required
to make, an average pattern of 200 pellets with the left, and 195 with the

of the 3o-inch circle, at 40 yards distance.

The size of shot
the English No. 6 size.
following are the standard charges of the various gauges

right, inside
is

270 to the ounce

The

GAUGE.

MODERN SHOT

58

GUNS.

and Amendments, it has been sought to prevent the issue of faulty

no rule or test will be equal to every
weapons and although, necessarily,
the obligatory proof has acted very benecase, it cannot be doubted that
Acts of Parliament, scales of proof charges, and all regulations
ficially.
and rules possibly applicable and efficient at the time of their compilation,
Acts,

are not likely to long remain so in these days of invention.

have hitherto been slow to
Unfortunately, the Proof House authorities
realise that changes of great importance to the users of guns are not pro-

vided for by their rules and regulations, and were it not for constant
that the gun of 1888 would be proved with the
agitation, it is very possible
1
charge and kind of explosive ordered for that of 868. Fortunately, there are
some gunmakers who, noticing new inventions or the introduction of new
of the Proof House rules and
explosives, clamour for such alterations
charges as will meet the case.
The new rules of proof which have just come into operation provide
for a more efficient test of shot guns and sporting rifles, and there is every
reason to believe that guns proved under the new scale will be safe with
the standard charge of any sporting gunpowder.
As to breech-loading shot guns, the barrels shall be twice proved, the
first proof being only a provisional test of the barrel tubes, the second, or
definitive proof, after the breech action and barrels have been properly

shaped and

fitted

and finished

filing.

Muzzle-loading shot guns may be twice proved, or proved in the

finished state with the heavier charge, according to the scale for provisional
Single-barrelled muzzle-loading guns with plain iron barrels are
proof.
proved once only. The gunpowder used in proof shall be a mixed grain
rifle powder, of quality equal to that used by the British Government, but
a supplementary proof of any gun may be made with any explosive, if so
desired.

The bullets of soft lead of the specific gravity of 11-352, and for rifled
choke-bore barrels are conical in form, and of a diameter nt more
than '005 of an inch less than the muzzle diameter of the barrel.
The shot used shall be of soft lead, and the size No. 6. The wads of
solid felt, and not exceeding in thickness one diameter of the bore
one
wad only over powder and one over bullet.
The marks of proofs are stamped upon the barrels in accordance with
the following rule
Shot guns and rifled choke-bore shot guns have the
provisional proof mark struck on the round of the barrel near the breech
end, and the definitive proof mark and view mark shall be impressed upon
the barrel above the provisional proof mark, and if the barrel be constructed with a patent breech, or with a
breech-loading action, or with a
breech block or chamber, the view mark shall be also
impressed upon the
patent breech, breech-loading action, shoe, breech block, or chamber, with
which the barrel is connected.
On double breech-loaders, the barrels for which have been submitted
:

TECHNICAL.
for provisional proof before
shall be impressed upon the

59

being put together, the provisional proof mark

round of the barrels near the breech, in front

of the flats, or in a corresponding position where there are no flats, and the
definitive proof mark and view mark shall be impressed upon the flats or in
a corresponding position when there are no flats.
If provisionally proved
after being put together, the provisional proof mark shall be impressed
upon the flats at the breech end, or in a corresponding position, and the
definitive proof mark and view mark shall be impressed immediately followThe view mark shall also be impressed
ing the provisional proof mark.
upon the action or shoe, breech block or blocks, chamber or chambers
with which the barrels are connected.
On the barrels the gauge size of the barrel shall be impressed at the
definitive proof, and on all barrels for breech-loading shot guns the chamber
"
gauge size, together with the letter C," signifying Chamber, shall also be
the
definitive
impressed following
proof and view marks, and shall be enclosed in a device, thus

all smooth-bore and choke-bored barrels, from 4 to 10 gauge incluthe gauge shall be divided into three parts, and be marked accordthus the divisions of gauge 8 would be marked 8, 8-1, 8-2 ; from
ingly
to 17 inclusive, the gauges shall be divided into two parts, thus divisions
of gauge 12 would be 12, 12-1; all lesser gauges shall be marked as set
forth in the schedule hereto.
In all smooth-bore and choke-bored breechloading barrels the gauge size of the barrel shall be taken at a point nine
inches from the breech end.
In all other barrels the gauge size shall be
taken at the muzzle.
On choke-bored barrels the additional mark " Choke " shall be im"
"
shall be impressed
pressed, and on rifled choke-bored barrels the letter
" R. CHOKE."
immediately preceding the work Choke, thus
All barrels of 10 gauge or less, having chambers of three inches or
longer, shall be proved with one-sixth more powder than the ordinary

In

sive,

proof charge, and the barrel so proved shall be

and barrels proved in a supplementary proof,
with " Schultze," or other special explosive, shall be marked
with " Sch."for Schultze, or with a suitable abbreviation of the
name of any other explosive, if the proof has been made with
such, and shall also be stamped with a number indicating the
number of grains of this explosive with which the gun may be charged

definitive

marked

thus,

with safety.

MODERN SHOT

6o

GUNS.

Two-bore and other extra large guns have special marks stamped upon
them.

The barrels of rifled choke-bore guns are proved with double the
quantity of powder, and one and one-half the weight of lead of the service
charge (fourth column of adjoined scale).
Herewith are examples of the proof marks of Birmingham and London,
as impressed upon shot gun-barrels.
The marks only, not the figures, will
be found also on the breech actions.

R. Choke

"E.G. "5 2.

The above marks of the London Proof House signify that the barrel has
been twice proved, that the diameter of the barrel is 740 of an inch, that the
chamber is more than three inches long, that the barrel is rifled and chokebored, and has been proved as required for that description of boring, and
that the barrel has also been tested with a granulated gun cotton known as
"E.G." gunpowder, of which the standard charge to be used in the gun is
52 grains, or

less.

The marks

of the Birmingham Proof

House, indicating a simple proof
2-bore gun.
On the following page will be found the scale of charges used in
proving shot guns.

of a

These new rules have not been long

enough in force for gunmakers or
sportsmen to determine whether or not they will work successfully.
It
must be admitted that they increase the
liability and responsibility of the
gunmaker. The gunmaker must declare for what length of cartridge case
his
will

gun is intended, and in some instances with what charge of powder it

be used, and the proof will then be made in accordance with his

declaration.

TECHNICAL.
SCALE OF PROOF FOR MUZZLE-LOADING SHOT GUNS.

ll

MODERN SHOT

62

GUNS.

SCALE OF PROOF FOR BREECH-LOADING SHOT GUNS.

Box.

of
Number

TECHNICAL.
SCALE OF PROOF FOR BREECH-LOADING SHOT GUNS (continued].

Box.

of
Number

MODERN SHOT

64

GUNS.

but many guns and more

is
GT>
a
^\ <*
4 sold as of English manuand >ft/
facture, bear the London or Birmingham proof-marks.
Another fraud often perpetrated is the imitation of English proof-marks
by the very unscrupulous gunmakers abroad, who do not hesitate to impose
upon their own countrymen their counterfeit rubbish, which, if sent for
sale to England, would at once bring a prosecution upon the vendors.
Although nominally there is no difference between the Birmingham and
London proof, actually the Birmingham proof has been the more severe.

The

barrels

Belgian

made

proof-mark

in Belgium,

THE BURSTING STRAIN OF GUN BARRELS.

Thirty years ago the late W. Greener formulated a theory as to the
relative strain upon a gun barrel produced by different charges of powder.
According to his calculation, if a tube were charged in the ordinary
manner, and with i oz. of shot, the strain generated on the explosion will
be equal to 40,000 Ibs., or 1,700 Ibs. to the square inch.
Recent experiments with scientifically constructed instruments have
To the staff of the Field
proved the above to be pretty nearly correct.
newspaper, led by its indefatigable editor, and ably seconded by the
manager of the Schultze Gunpowder Company's manufactory, gunmakers
are indebted for valuable technical data, and elaborately formulated
conclusions, based upon practically endless experiments, all of which have
been of great service to those gunmakers able to make use of them. The
art of making shot guns has been elevated to a science, and although full
details of the experiments, or even a summary of the figures would be out
of place here, the author feels compelled to record the few following
facts

i2-bore gun, fired with 2\ drams of powder and one ounce of shot,
one inch from the breech, 1,448
Ibs. at 2| inches from the breech, and 916 Ibs. at six inches from the
breech.
The usual sporting charge of 3 drams and i ozs. gives 2,090 Ibs. at i inch,
gives 1,640 Ibs. pressure/^r square inch at

1,796 at 2f inches, and 1,046 at 6 inches from the breech, whilst the not
unusually heavy i2-bore charge of 4 drams and i| ozs. gives 3,770 Ibs. at i
inch, 3,210 at 2f inches, and 1,321 at 6 inches from the breech
more than
"
"
Schultze
70,000 Ibs. pressure on the barrel.
Equal measure of
gunpowder gives less pressure upon the barrel at the first distance ; but more
at the other distances with
heavy charges. The charge of 3 drams (42
grains) and i^ozs. gives 1,850 Ibs. at
6 inches.
With charges up to and

i inch,
1,910 at 2-* inches, and 1,067 at
including 3 drams and i oz. the Schultze
gives less pressure than does black gunpowder, but with heavier charges it
gives increased pressure at 2f and 6 inches ; but with all charges gives less
pressure at i inch from the breech than does the proportionate charge of

TECHNICAL.

65

In guns of smaller bore the proportionate pressure per square inch is

The
upon i2-bores with the same charge of powder.
oz. of black in a 2o-bore gives 2,825 Ibs. at r
charge of 2\ drams and
inch, 2,015 at 2 f inches, and 1,080 at 6 inches ; with like charge of Schultze,
1,772 at i inch, 1,890 at 2f inches, and 1,046 at 6 inches.
Again, with
2o-bores, if the charge of Schultze be increased beyond 3 drams and i oz.
it will
give a greater pressure at 6 inches from the breech than will a like
charge of black, but a less pressure at i inch from the breech. The
greater than that

powder referred to above is Curtis and Harvey's No. 4.

gives the comparative strengths of the different sizes of
employed

The

following

powder usually

in shot guns.
At

Powder.

C&HNo. 6
C&HNo.4
C & H Fine Basket
C & H No. 4
Schultze

inch.

1,634 Ibs

2,090,,
2,900,,

3,430,,
1,850,,

At 2!

inches.

548 Ibs
1,796,,
i,

2,097,,
2,385,,
i,9io,,

At 6

inches.

980

Ibs.

1,046,,
1,111,,.

1,090,,

1,067,,

These

figures were all obtained under exactly the same conditions, and
the average of many shots, and may therefore be accepted as a
standard with the 1 2-bore with same charge.
There are several things which will cause an increase on the pressure
exerted by any one charge in a barrel of any bore ; one of these is the cap.
The figures given above were registered with Eley's caps in Eley's
"
"
ordinary cases.
Many sportsmen now use the Life cases, which have
a larger and stronger cap than Eley's, and which cap affects the pressure
with Schultze powder very considerably; for instance, a 1 2-bore with 3
drams and i^ ozs. of shot gives in Eley's case a pressure of 1,850 to 1,910
Ibs., with the large cap from 1,810 to 1,895 Ibs. per square inch; with
3^ drams and i^ ozs., with Eley's cap 2,440 Ibs. to 2,680 Ibs., with the large
cap 2,730 to 2,975 Ibs. And in the 2o-bore with 2^- drams and |~oz., with
Eley's cap 1,972 Ibs. to 2,230 Ibs., and with the large cap 3,060 Ibs. to

are

3,210

Ibs.

Another and much more important cause of increased pressure is the

presence of an obstruction in the barrel, and this not unfrequently results
in a burst.

It will

be as well, in addition to the actual

figures, to refer

to

other facts.

The figures were obtained by the same method as that employed for
registering the pressure upon the barrel with various charges and explosives
"
"
Field wad,
already referred to ; the obstruction consisting of a tight
thick felt and card wad, i^ ozs. of No. 6 Chilled Shot, and card wad over
"
the shot, measurements taken from the breech to the " Field wad. Charge
used 3 drams, and
F

ozs.

of No. 6 shot.

MODERN SHOT GUNS.

At

Without any obstruction ...

Obstruction at 24 in
i8in
12 in

in

7>
6 in

inch.

1,820
1,832
1,805
1,826
1,835
1,850

At af inches.

QO7

At

6 inches.

TECHNICAL.

67

sportsman to arrive at a decision as to what gauge and charge

suit his

will

best

requirements.

The choke-bore

shoots more regularly than does the cylinder, and

more compactly and by compactly is meant not only that
the divergence from the centre, as shown on a plate, is less, but that there
is much less space between the first and last pellet when the body of the

sends

its

pellets

Hence it is that in computing the

pellets shall reach a certain point.
muzzle velocity of the two guns calculated upon the time occupied by the
The
first pellet in travelling 120 feet, the choke shows to a disadvantage.
author, however, from his experiments, would give the choke an average
velocity of 5 feet per second more than the cylinder when using black gunpowder, and 25 feet per second more when using nitro-compound.
Of the difference in the velocities of gunpowders, black gunpowder has
not the velocity of nitro-compounds, being inferior to the extent of about 20
feet with standard charge.

" Life
cases, with large caps, give higher
than
do
generally
Eley's cases, whilst brass cases in guns
specially constructed for them give higher velocities than paper cases with
"
black powder, but lower with nitro-compounds than the " Life cases
with
same
the
charged
powder.
The bore of the gun affects velocity as follows

As

to cartridge cases, the

"

velocities

20-BORE

2\ drams and i oz. No. 6

725 feet; with same charge, but No. 5

GUN,

velocity,

with

velocity, 738*8

ft.

shot,
shot,

average
average

per second.

i6-BORE GUN, with 2\ drams, and i oz. No. 6 shot, average

780 ft. with same charge, but No. 5 shot, 791 ft.
I2-BORE GUN, with 3-! drams and \\ ozs. No. 6. shot,

velocity,

velocity,

842 '171

IO-BORE GUN,

with

average

ft.

4^ drams

and

i^ ozs.

No.

velocity, 890 ft. ; with same charge, but No. 4 shot,

i
J ozs. No. i shot and 5 drams of powder, 943 ft.

shot,

936

average
with
;

ft.

8-BORE GUN, with 6 drams of powder, paper case, and 2 J ozs. No. i
with 7 drams No. 4 powder and
shot, average velocity, 907 ft.
2- ozs. No. i shot, and brass case, average velocity, 984 feet. ; with
same load, but finer-grained powder, 945 ft. ; with same load, but
;

with ducking powder, expressly manufactured for 8- and 4- bore

duck guns, average velocity only 904 ft.
With 3 drams and i oz. of No. 6 the muzzle velocities should be with
i2-bore about 870 feet per second; with i6-bore, about 885 feet
per second ; with 2o-bore, about 920 feet per second.

The

is an important factor in computing velocity, as it

The
range of the gun or judging its penetration.
figures above given are the calculated muzzle velocities ; but the following
is

size

of the shot

in fixing the killing

F 2

MODERN SHOT

68

GUNS.

gives the actual mean velocity in feet per second of the body of the
charge of shot at the range indicated, measured by Mr. R. W. S. Griffith

summary

CHARGE.

TECHNICAL.
THE STRINGING OF A CHARGE OF SHOT.

69
-

That the pattern of a gun, as seen upon a target, does not reveal the
manner in which the pellets arrive, is a well-known fact, and the gear
necessary to exhibit more precisely the manner of the flight of the shot is
of such a cumbrous and complex nature, that it is doubtful if it will ever

come into general use

As already stated,

or be easily understood.
the gun which shoots best must make the closest
pattern, and a pattern which reveals the least deviation of the pellets
from the common centre is also a proof that individual pellets have been
less in advance, and in rear, of the main body of shot during flight
than would have been the case had the spread upon the target been

larger.

From experiments made it has been proved that the i2-bore gun with
42 grains of Schultze powder, and 304 pellets of No. 6 shot, gives most
regular patterns, and that the regularity of the shooting is enhanced by the
barrel being properly choke-bored.
It has also been proved that a larger
charge of powder, although it increases the velocity of the shot, impairs the
Further experiments have proved that not only
regularity of the pattern.
does the choke-bore send its shot closer and more regularly, but also

To what extent shot " strings," will be gathered from the

and
With a cylinder gun, with 42 grains of
following figures
diagrams
"
Schultze," and 304 pellets of No. 6 shot, the first pellets reach the target
at 40 yards' distance in '138 second, whereas the last pellets do not reach

more compactly.

it until '187 second ;

consequently, whilst the first pellets may strike a bird
at 40 yards, the slower pellets have not reached a distance of 30 yards from
the muzzle of the gun.

As a matter of fact, about five per cent, of the pellets of the charge
arrive simultaneously at the target at 40 yards' distance from the gun ; these
pellets are closely followed by 25 per cent, to 30 per cent, of the pellets of
the charge if the gun be a good one, and this 30 per cent, to 40 per cent,
of the pellets represents practically the actual killing value of the shot, for
the remaining pellets flying irregularly, and at a much lower velocity, tail off
so rapidly that little reliance can be placed upon them.
The fac-simile
targets shown exhibit the usual pattern faithfully, being a photographic
reduction of the actual diagrams ; but to show accurately, and on the same
scale, the side view illustrating the pellets in flight at 60 yards from a

The
cylinder gun, would require a diagram nearly five feet in length.
annexed diagrams and table will enable those interested to calculate the
.approximate distances between the pellets of the charge at any distance.

MODERN SHOT GUNS.

'O

TECHNICAL.
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a
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-t!

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-t

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o

SlL

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MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

TECHNICAL.

73

MODERN SHOT

74

Pattern of the Cylinder

Gun

Pattern of

at

40 Yards.

Pattern of the same

Schultze

GUNS.

CHOKE-BORED Gun
40 Yards.

CHOKE-BORED Gun
Powder and

oz.

at 40 Yards, with 49 grains of

No. 6 Chilled Shot.

at

TECHNICAL.

| J

"Sl^
-2

&ts

oo-a
o

<a

75

MODERN SHOJ

"

'..*

.* */'.*

u?

I
ft

to-yk

&

^1

GUNS.

TECHNICAL.

77

TABLE SHOWING THE VARIOUS VELOCITIES ATTAINED BY THE PELLETS

OF A CHARGE.

MODERN SHOT

78

GUNS.

and with No. 8 shot will be very little more than with No. 6 at
If
at 10 yards, and 4 inches more at 15 yards.
5 yards, but 2\ inches more
the charge of powder is increased, the spread of the shot at these ranges
In a 12 -bore gun charges of more than 3^ drams do not
is increased.
range

of the pellets, although a

generally give greater penetration to the majority
No. 6 shot, having
a greater velocity.
pellets of the charge have
"
Pettit"
a velocity of 500 feet per second, should penetrate 18 sheets of a
No.
an
of
to
will
be equal
3 shot at
0-90 foot-pounds.
energy
pad, and
the same velocity should penetrate 23 sheets, and will equal 176 footpounds; whilst No. 8 shot at same velocity will penetrate but 16 sheets,

few

A velocity of 700 feet

to 0*56 foot-pounds.
equal to a penetration of 36 sheets with No. 6, of 39 sheets with No. 5,
of 47 sheets with No. 2, of 31 sheets with No. 8.
RECOIL is dependent upon the boring of the gun, and will vary with
the charge and the nature of the explosive used, the quantity and size
of the shot.
The recoil should never exceed 100 Ibs., and the recoil of
a light 2o-bore, which should be equal in Ibs. to that from an ordinary
i2-gauge, would be much more appreciable. With a i2-bore gun weighing
7 Ibs. the average recoil with standard charge should not be more than
100 Ibs. The difference in the charge will affect it somewhat as follows
and have an energy equal

is

Charge
Recoil

The

2\

drs.,

oz.

drs.,

3 drs., i| oz.

sizes of shot as follows

Recoil

No. 2
89

drs., \\ oz.

100

90

Shot

The

2\

80

oz.

4
90

90

difference in the grain

3 drams and \\
5

100

6
106

3 drs., \\ oz.

06

oz.

115

106

8
106

and nature of the explosive

charge 3 drams and if oz., No. 6

E.G. Schultze. No. 3 grain Black.

as follows

87

86

No. 4 grain Black.

100

109

No. 6 grain Black.

85

Wadding and turning over the cartridge

cause the recoil to vary

slightly,

case, with pressure, will also

but not sufficiently to require details.

PATTERNS.

The pattern is the shown shooting of a gun, the only visible proof of a
the killing of game being in some measure dependent upon the
gun's powers
skill of the sportsman. The
pattern of a gun, besides being the most reliable
test applicable to a gun, is
To ascertain a gun's
fortunately the easiest.
for most guns
merits, roughly fire it at the largest sheet of paper obtainable
40 yards will be found the best distance. For comparative results count
the number of perforations formed in a circle 30 inches in diameter marked
upon the paper.
good close pattern is a guarantee that the gun
has sufficient force to kill at that distance.
The greater the velocity of the
mass of pellets of the charge the closer is the pattern.
No close-shooting
gun has inferior penetration, and, generally speaking, the less distant each

TECHNICAL,

79

from the common centre depicted on the target, the

between the first and last pellets of the charge in
other words, a close pattern means uniform velocity in the pellets of the
Occasional bad patterns, or patchy patterns, prove the gun to be
charge.
The closer the pattern at 40 yards, the longer the
improperly bored.
killing range of the gun.
There have been eight great gun trials, and at all of these except
that of 1879
th e pattern has been an important factor in determining the
individual pellet is
less is the distance

figure of merit.

TABLES OF THE PATTERNS MADE BY THE BEST GUNS IN THE

LONDON GUN TRIALS OF 1859, 1866, 1875, 1878, 1879, AND THE
AMERICAN GUN TRIALS OF 1873, 1874, 1879.
LONDON GUN TRIAL,
Muzzle-loader
Breech-loader

1859

MODERN SHOT

8o

GUNS.

It need hardly be added that in no case was any partiality shown,

nor was there cause for it.
At most of these public gun trials the author's guns have beaten all
comers, yet the guns with which he competed were not by any means

exceptionally good.
Many that he and others have since made would
much better results than those obtained at these gun trials. To

record

The Winning

Pattern at the Leavenworth Trial,

"
and "

Quick Shot

cite

an instance

Company
important

made with a W. W. Greener Gun

Powder.

the gun made by the author for the Schultze

Gunpowder
has in their hands scored
remarkably well, and very many

trials

made by them have been made

public.

TECHNICAL.

81

The annual performance of this gun is given under the heading of

''Choke-boring;" to this may be added a fac-simile pattern (reduced by
photography) from a target 30 inches in diameter, made with W. W.
Greener's Patent Treble Wedge- Fast Gun, No, 19,304, built in 1878, specially
for the use of the Schultze Gunpowder Company, Limited.
Over 100,000
This is a fac-simile of pattern made by the
shots were fired from this gun.
Schultze Company in 1885, without any alteration to the gun.
The gun
is admitted to be as good as new in every way.

W. W. Greener Gun with Schultze Powder

and No. 6 Shot.

Fac-simile of the Shooting of a

MODERN SHOT

82

Fac simile

of

GUNS.

Shooting of a Full Choke-bored Gun at 40 Yards, 3 drams of No. 4

Powder, and i& oz. No. 6 Shot.

TECHNICAL.

83

Fac-simile of the Shooting of a Full Choke-bored Gun at 40 Yards, with 3 drams and
\\ oz, of No. 8 Shot.
G 2

MODERN SHOT

84

GUNS.

LEFT BARREL.

LEFT BARREL.
made on 2nd July,
1885, with this Gun and W. W.
GREENER'S Loaded Cartridges,
Patterns

42 grains of Schultze Powder and

\\ oz. No. 6 Chilled Shot (305
pellets counted in).

Average

273
276
255
276
260
252
265'3

made with same Gun on

3Oth July, 1885. W.W. GREENER'S
Patterns

specially Loaded Cartridges, 42

grains of Schultze Powder, and
i| oz. of No. 6 Chilled Shot (305
pellets

counted

Average obtained before two Gentlemen of the

in).

Average

"Field"

Staff,

Aug.

Sth, 1885

259
251
241
235
240
260
247'4
255.

This gun as should all guns shoots all first- class powders equally
At a gun trial held at Leavenworth in 1886, a Greener i2-bore gun
"
was shot with " King's Quick Shot powder, an explosive the author has
never had an opportunity of trying. The gun beat all its opponents
some were much heavier guns and of larger calibre and made a
easily
target of which the appended diagram is a fac-simile.
These diagrams have been disputed more than once, but there is overwhelming proof as to their accuracy. They have been reproduced by a
photographic process, the fidelity of which cannot be doubted.
In the specification of what a gun should be and do, the reader will
find the patterns of various guns with various charges detailed, and it
will only be necessary to add here that all patterns should be calculated
upon the average of at least twelve shots, and that the frequent recurrence
of a patchy pattern should condemn the gun.
There must be absolute
A
uniformity and regularity in pattern from a gun of the first quality.
if the
very regular pattern is to be chosen, even before a very close one
closer pattern is patchy or not always good alike.
The two preceding diagrams will give the reader an idea of the actual
closeness of pattern in the centre of the target.
The one with No. 6 shot
is equal to a
pattern of 230 in a 3o-inch circle ; the one with No. 8 is
equal to a pattern of 300 in the 30-inch circle.
well.

KILLING CIRCLES.

The

killing circle is the spread of the charge from the centre of the line
of flight.
It is apparent that the larger the killing circle and the greater

the range the greater the efficiency of the gun.

At forty yards from the muzzle of a gun it has been proved that on
frequent occasions a few pellets of the charge will be found 10, 15, and
even 20 yards from the centre of the body of the charge ; thus, at 40 yards
a gun may, whilst putting the greater number of its pellets into a 30-inch

some forty yards asunder.

following fac-simile reproduction of targets made by the author
will enable the sportsman to see at a
glance the comparative density of
These targets,
patterns, and the approximate killing spread of the gun.

circle, scatter

The

TECHNICAL.
obtained with guns of different gauges, may be approximated by guns
any gauge by altering the load or the range, or both.

Number of pellets in
163.

Killing

circle,

about

circle

26 in.
Diagram represents
the shooting of a 28-bore gun
full-choked, at 40 yards, with

ij drams powder, and J oz.

No. 7 shot.
A similar pattern would
be made with a 2o-bore, and
i oz. No. 6 shot, or a 2o-bore
with \\ oz. No. 5 should be

no closer, but a killing

two inches larger.

circle

Fac -simile No.

I.

Circle, 30-111. diameter.

No. of

pellets in
circle

circle,

30 in.
This diagram represents the
shooting of a 28-bore gun
cylinder, at 20 yards with ij
285.

Killing

drams, and f

oz.

No.

similar result

7 shot.
is

attain-

able from a 2o-bore cylinder

with | oz. No. 8 shot.

Fac-simile No.

2.

Circle,

3O-in. diameter.

of

MODERN SHOT

86

GUNS.

Number of pellets in

circle,

about
This diagram represents the shooting of a 28-bore
gun, choke-bored, at 20 yards
131.
1 8 in.

distance

and f

circle

Killing

charge,

oz. of

No.

similar

J drams,

6.

pattern results

from using a 2o-bore with

i oz. No. 5 shot at 1 8
yards,
with | oz. No. 6 at 2o-bore at
20 yards, makes a killing
circle about two inches larger.

Fac-simile No.

3.

Circle,

3O-in. diameter.

Number
circle,

292.

about 25

of pellets in
Killing

circle

This diagram
represents the shooting of a
1 2 -bore
gun choke-bored
distance 20 yards ; charge, 3
drams and ij oz. No. 6 shot.
in.

A similar pattern results

with a 2o-bore at 20 yards
with i oz. No. 8 shot, but
with the 2o-bore the killing
circle is a little less.

Fac-simile No.

4.

Circle,

30-111.

diameter.

TECHNICAL.

No.
288.

of pellets
Killing

in

circle,

circle,

30

in.

This diagram represents the

shooting of i2-bore gun
cylinder at 20 yards ; charge,
3 drams, and ij oz. No. 6.

The same

result

is

obtain-

'

able from a choke at 20 yards,

by using i oz. No. 6 and
scatter charge, or by using a
brass case gun at 40 yards
with ij oz. No. 7, or with
i\ oz. No. 8 at 40 yards.

;'
*:**

Fac- simile No.

Number
in

pellets

I*"

Circle,

'.

**.;

30

in.

diameter.

of

circle,

Killing

250.
circle,

5.

'

35.

This

diagram represents the shooting

of a pigeon gun,

with

drams and ij
No. 6 shot.

oz.

2-bore,

Fac-simile No.

6.

Circle,

30

in.

diameter, Plate 4 foot.

MODERN SHOT

88

GUNS.

The boring for a gun to shoot as No. 6 fac-simile is of a special kind,

designed to produce a regular pattern not too thick in centre, but
in a circle of 35 inches.
sufficiently thick to kill
The instructions for approximating any other gun to one of the depicted
patterns are based upon several series of experiments made at different
times, and the data are sufficient to permit of reliable conclusions.
The best pattern is that of the choke-bore gun, and sportsmen seem
slow to grasp the fact that pattern is the all-important factor in the killing
The author made a series of experiments by which he
range of the gun.
ascertained that it requires at least four pellets of No. 6 shot (chilled) to
kill a pigeon, excepting, of course, such flukes as a pellet striking the head
or breaking the neck, and the pigeon, if struck by six shots, none of which
might prove immediately mortal,

will

be dropped

at

once by the aggregate.

will not, upon the average, put three pellets into a pigeon
30 yards distant. The cylinder gun must, therefore, be considered practically useless at this distance ; for, providing the pigeons were fairly struck,

cylinder

gun

more than one out of three would be

and gathered. To ensure four pellets being put into a pigeon, a pattern of at least 200 in the 3o-inch circle is necessary.
It is possible to kill
pigeons at 40 yards with a choke-bored gun if so small a charge as z\
drams and i J oz. of No. 6 shot be used with a pattern of 240 in the
and

in the centre of the charge, not

killed

3o-inch circle the value of penetration is lessened.

Whereas, unless the
pellets strike the bird, penetration is quite useless ; pattern never is.

Reduced Fac-simile of the " Pattern " of a Choke upon a

Pigeon.

TECHNICAL.

89

The

cylinder gun must not be used at distances greater than 30 yards

is unnecessarily cruel, for the author has known as many as six
successive shots to have been fired from a cylinder gun at a stationary
pigeon without killing it, the distance being only 35 measured yards, the
charge used a full one, and the pigeon well in the centre of the pellets
each time.
After the sixth shot the bird was examined, and it was found
that it had been struck by only nine pellets.
bird flying directly away from or towards the shooter would have
been struck by a still smaller number of shot.
cylinder-bore gun
at a range of 15 yards has put 54 pellets into a pigeon.
choke at
20 yards range will average only 40.
The annexed rough outline of a
pigeon in flight end on and across the charge will show by how many
These outlines were sketched in
pellets the bird would have been struck.
the sheet before firing at it with a i2-bore choked gun, and the illustration
is an exact reproduction of the target.
Continuing this theme still further, the small bore will be found to
kill quite as well as the larger bore, providing the pattern be as close, but
when the bird struck is not in the centre of the charge, it is not often
to

do so

killed.

pigeon placed in a wooden box measuring six inches by seven inches,

room being allowed for it to stand, with its broadside to the
gun, a piece of thin paper only between the bird and the gun, was fired
at various ranges with a 28-bore gun with the following results

just sufficient

CHARGE.
Dram.
No.

Pigeon, distance 40 yards

PATTERN.

ON

\\

| No.

if

6.

...

RESULTS.

7 x 6

13

Bird struck in body, but

not in any way dis-

12

Leg broken, and

abled.

No. 2

40

,,

...

let in

No.

35

No. 4
No. 5
No. 6

35

if

I
|

,,

I
pelbreast, not dis-

abled from flying.

Hit in body, but not

...

...

18

Do.

...

23
35

Killed dead.
Killed dead.

disabled.
i

30

if,,

...

Do.

IGNITION.
Different

makes of cartridge
method of

are not alike in the

cases, being furnished with different caps,

ignition, of the explosion, nor in the time

occupied in igniting the powder.

The " Life " cases have the largest and best caps, and ignite all powders
more quickly than the usual English cap.
The stronger ignition of the " Life " case led the author to suppose
that it might be attributed to some of those dangerous explosions in small-

MODERN SHOT

90

GUNS.

bore guns with Schultze powder, that have so astonished gunmakers and
The editor of the Field kindly experisportsmen the past two seasons.
mented to determine this question, and declared that although there was a
difference in the strength exhibited by Schultze, when fired by the larger
cap, the increase was so infinitesimal that it would not account for the
disastrous results partly attributed to

its

use.

The

time actually passed between the pulling of the trigger of a good

C. F. i2-bore gun, and the exit of the shot from the muzzle of the gun,
should be '0075 of a second; with the "Life" cases this is reduced to
"
0070 of a second, and if quick powder, as basket" or No. 3, is used, it
is again reduced to '0064 of a second.
With smaller bores the time is
less.
When the time taken is '03 of a second or more, a " hang fire " is per :
ceptible ; when -06 of a second a click is heard between the pulling of
the trigger and the report.
The questions of ignition and combustion of various explosives are
treated of more fully in the second part of this treatise.

SECTION

V.

PEC PICA L.
I

THE ESSENTIALS OF A GUN.

THE

which a sporting gun is required are various. The author

purposes
has been commanded to build one gun which shall be effectual at all game,
from snipe to an elephant ; and although this weapon was tolerably successful at everything, it is not to be supposed that it was actually fitted for anyAnother customer of the author's, to decide a
thing except the elephant.
There
bet, shot a couple of snipe with a heavy elephant rifle of 8-bore.
is, therefore, no actual limit to the capabilities of any weapon until trial
has been made.
The collector who requires humming-birds, and the wildfowler who thinks of getting wild geese, will arm themselves very differently.
Again, some guns have to be carried throughout a long day's walk in
for

only in the hand the couple of seconds requisite to

aim and fire. It is, therefore, evident that what is desired for one sport
is of little importance in a gun desired for another sport.
There are certain essentials, however, which should be possessed by all
varieties of guns.
Amongst the chief of them are
Facility in loading at
the breech, freedom from danger to the user or his companions, simplicity
other sports the gun

is

of mechanism, speed in manipulation, handiness, lasting power.

The ordinary game gun should have a killing circle of 30 inches at
thirty yards with the first barrel, and at forty yards with the second.
The gun for covert shooting will give a 3<D-inch killing circle at twenty
yards with the first and at 30 with the second.

The gun

grouse driving will be bored to give a killing circle of

diameter at the longest possible range the gun not to
be more than 7 Jibs, weight; and it is not fashionable to use a larger bore
than 12 for this sport.
for

thirty inches in

The gun for pigeon shooting must be so built as to meet the rules of
the chief clubs ; in England the bore must not be larger than 12, nor the
gun heavier than 81bs. ; the charge to be used must not exceed four drams of
powder and ij ounces of shot. On the Continent and in America lo-bores
are allowed, but there is usually some restriction as to charge.
The
pigeon gun may be made with hammeraor hammerless, preferably the latter.
It should not have a trigger bolting safety, and an automatic trigger safety
for this species of gun is the greatest mistake that can be made.
The shooting required will in some measure depend upon the distance
at which the user is generally placed, it being required to have the largest
possible killing circle at one yard beyond the trap with the first barrel and

MODERN SHOT

92

GUNS.

In no class of gun is uniformity and

at five yards with the second.
The weight may
essential than in the trap-gun.
regularity of shooting more
be from \ to f of a pound greater than in the gun carried for game
balance be perfect.
shooting, but it is important that the
of small calibre, such as generally placed in the hands of boys,

Light guns
Even the 28-bore, generally
can be made formidable game weapons.
considered a toy, is in the hands of a good shot a serviceable sporting gun.
years of age, shot with a 28-bore of the author's
"Young Nimrod," when
make, and did remarkably well. In public pigeon matches he was placed
at 2 7 yards, and at that distance upon more than one occasion has killed

The Pigeon Gun.

his

38 out of 50 best Blue Rocks.

Sometimes he would grass many birds

in succession, several strayings of 17, n, and 13 having been scored to him,

which is evidence not only of his skill as a marksman, but of the killing

powers of his gun.

A nobleman, well known in sporting
ing in November, 1884

circles,

wrote the author the follow-

"

I had the 28-bore out for a few shots at pheasants yesterday, and I am much
pleased with it, killing eight birds in succession, and four of them at least thirty-five
yards off, flying away low, and one with the choke-barrel a very long shot we measured
it
fifty-three yards, and the bird was flying away within three yards from the ground it
fell stone dead to the
gun. I shot a hare with the right not choked barrel at thirtyfour yards as dead as a nail.
(Charge used, \\ drams black powder f oz. No. 6)."
;

Again, on February

4,

1885

" I can
only say your 28-bore gun cannot be improved upon ; its shooting is quite
I have given it a capital trial, and find it shoots as strong as a 12-bore.
first-class.
Of
course you have to lay on straight, then I defy any gun to shoot harder ; it has had a
really

good and heavy

trial."

Another good shot writes

"

have

tried the little gun,

confident of success at game."
I

have made some very long dead shots at rabbits, and

am

SPRCIFICAL.

93

therefore quite indisputable that these small-bore guns are really

weapons in the hands of good shots their lightness recommends
them and although they seem toy-like, they may afford as good sport, and
fill the
bag as well as larger and more cumbersome weapons.
A single gun made for a lady, and weighing but a trifle over three
partridges, pheasants, hares,
pounds, is a first-class all-round game gun
and rabbits are shot regularly. The efficiency of the gun, however, is
better demonstrated by the fact that it is preferred by the owner's brothers
to their own 1 2-bore guns for shooting at the wood pigeons as they come
home to roost in the high elms in the park, and on one occasion a fallow
doe was shot dead with it at 25 yards' distance with seven-eighths of an
ounce of No. 7 shot.
The small bores may therefore be ranked as serviceable weapons,
It is

efficient

whilst for boys about to commence shooting, the 28-or 24-bore double is to
be preferred to the single gun. They are, of course, more expensive ; to
build them well requires more care and a greater outlay than the build ing of

a gun of ordinary sporting gauge.

The Ladies' Gun should be purposely constructed ; not only must the
stock be differently shaped and of very different measures to the ordinary
gun, but the barrels will require modification if the best possible results are

be obtained.
There are some sportswomen who can shoot well with almost any gun,
just as there are men who use guns of divers bends and weights indifferently,
but to most ladies the question of recoil is an important one.
The author,
having had more experience in the building of guns for ladies' use than
perhaps any other English gunmaker, can confidently assert that the gun
possessing the essentials he is about to enumerate will prove more effectual
to

than the light small-bore guns usually recommended.

The bore 12, the barrels twenty-seven inches long, the weight 5flbs.,
making with the right barrel a killing circle of 30 inches at 30 yards, with
the left a similar pattern at 35 yards, the charges to be used being in the
"
Schultze" or " E.G." powder and
right, 2f drams of black or 36 grains of
i oz. of No. 7 shot, and in the left barely 3 drams by measure of black or
"
"
40 grains of Schultze" or E.G.," and \\ ozs. of No. 6 shot. The stock
to be suitably shaped, well bent, and well cast off ; the gun to be perfectly
balanced ; and not butt-heavy.
A 1 2-bore gun cannot be made satisfactorily
to weigh less than 5! Ibs. ; if a lighter gun be required a more serviceable
weapon will be obtained by choosing a smaller bore, viz., 16, or even 20.
This is the Miniature Gun, a weapon which has come rapidly into favour,
one of its first and strongest advocates being that well-known authority upon
"
One who has fired 20,000 shots at marks." The
shooting matters,
principle is that of reducing the 1 2-bore gun in length and bore of barrel

exact capacity required by the sporting charge of 3 drams and

ounces.
From numerous experiments the author has arrived at the
conclusion that a barrel of 25 inches long, choke-bored, and of a certain
to the
i|-

MODERN SHOT

94

GUNS.

burn 3 drams of
gauge, twenty inches of its length will satisfactorily
in fact, that the
powder, and propel \\ ounces of shot at a high velocity
i2-bore gun is "too much gun" for the charge of 3 drams and \\
ounces, that is to say, there is too much gun in proportion to the
charge of powder than absolutely necessary ; for ordinary game shooting
the i2-bore with 25 inches will shoot this charge as well as it need
be shot. By carefully reducing the i2-bore gun, however, in barrels,
breech-action, locks, and stock, a miniature gun is produced from one
to one-and-a-half pounds lighter than the normal i2-bore, and shooting
the standard i2-bore charge nearly as well as the ordinary i2-bore choke
gun does. These miniature guns require great care, and very considerable
tact to be exercised in their manufacture, and it is quite impossible for any
maker without practical experience to produce perfect weapons of this
The 27-inch barrels will be found to permit of better marksmanship
kind.
than shorter barrels, and, consequently, unless there is a good reason for
Aldoing so, guns should not be made with barrels shorter than 27 inches.
though they are sometimes made lighter than 5 \ Ibs., it is only at a sacrifice
of strength.
reliable gun with breech ends of the barrels of the ordinary
thickness can be made as light as 5f Ibs., below which it is inadvisable to go.
miniature i2-bore gun, therefore, will always command a fair price,
and can never be made in the cheapest grades. It must fire 3 drams
and \\ ounces to perfection, and without appreciable recoil a larger charge
cannot be used with comfort balance and handle perfectly ; every part
being reduced from the ordinary i2-bore gun size, it must stand the heavy
wear and tear of the hardest season, and yet be perfectly safe.
This is the weapon Birmingham has produced, and its many advantages
will commend it to those sportsmen whose work is not such as lies
beyond
the capabilities of three drams of powder and i^ ounces of shot.
The Miniature Gun is much to be preferred to the Single Gun, a
The double is now con
species of shot gun quickly falling into disuse.
structed so light that a Single Gun, if made lighter, would recoil unbearably.
:

It is for

used.

duck guns and large-bore rifles that the single barrel is mostly
heavy barrels of 4-bore, side by side, are more than the hand

Two

can firmly grasp, so

shooters adhere to single guns for wild-fowling,

second shot than possess only an
imperfect command of the gun.
The Duck Gun may be a double lo-bore of 10 or nibs, weight,
firing 5 drams of powder and 2 ounces of shot with a killing range oi 90
yards with large shot ; but the true wild-fowling gun must be 8 or 4-bore,
with a long barrel, and firing a
heavy charge, and specially regulated for
preferring

many

to lose the chances of a

large shot.

double 8-bore with 34-inch barrels should weigh

i4lbs., and is an
for shore shooting.
"
"
duck gun to any
light 8-bore gun is much to be preferred as a
lo-bore gun.
The Duck Gun, for use from the shoulder, recommended by

excellent

weapon

SPECIFICAL.

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

author, is an 8-bore, with

32-inch barrels, and weighing
from 10 J to IT Ibs. Such a gun
will shoot 6 drams of powder and
2 ozs. of shot to good advantage,
and if used with large shot will
show such a decided superiority
over i o-bores that sportsmen cannot fail to appreciate the differThis gun, with No. 4 or
ence.
No. 2 shot, will shoot more closely
than a lo-bore gun, and enable
the sportsman to bag more birds.
Its weight is not more than that
of some i o-bores used by practised wild-fowlers, the recoil is not
heavy, and the pattern and range
are superior to anything obtainable
from any guns of the same weight.
The single 8-bore with 36-inch
barrel may weigh 1 5 Ibs. ; the single
4-bore may have a barrel of 42

the

inches, and weigh iSlbs.

are true wild-fowling guns.

The cheapest

breech-loading

for wild-fowling is

gun

These

made on

the double-grip principle, as illustrated here; it is a serviceable

1$
weapon, and will cost from
to

^"30

in 8-bore,

to

^35

if

The newest
less,

bolt.

and from

20

4-bore.
style is

hammer-

with top-lever cross tophas greater

This gun

speed,
neater

is

safer

in

and

stronger,

appearance,

many ways

is

better

and

is

in

than the

It is
double-grip hammer gun.
more expensive, costing, when
well made, not less than ^30,
and in best quality, ^45.
All wild-fowling guns should

be specially

bored and cham-

bered, for solid brass, drawn or

"
"
which
brass cases,
perfect

SPECIFICAL.

97

many advantages over paper for wild-fowling. All wild-fowling

cartridges are heavy and cumbrous, but in the brass there is more room for
a larger charge, in the same length as the paper ; the escape of gas at
the base is an impossibility with brass cases ; therefore they often shoot

possess

and they will not jamb in the chamber.

Changes of
affect them to the extent paper cases are affected.
It is needless to say that all duck and wild-fowling guns should be
choke-bored to the fullest extent.
In choosing a wild-fowling gun, it must
be borne in mind that 8-bores shoot much better in proportion than do

more

strongly,

atmosphere do not

lo-bores to i2-bores, whilst 4-bores are only as

to 8-bores as lo-bores are to i2-bores.

much

better in proportion

With a first -class i2-bore it is possible to get patterns of 255 in a 30inch circle at 40 yards, and with the same charge ; and a lo-bore gun it is not
often a better pattern is made, and 275 is certainly an excellent average
for a zo-bore duck gun, with the
When
lo-bore standard charge.
shooting large shot, the lo-bores show a more marked superiority over the
1

2-bores.

The lo-bore duck-gun full-choked, weighing 8^ Ibs. and over, will

make a pattern of 275 in a thirty-inch circle at forty yards, with 4 drams
of powder and if ozs. of No. 6 shot.
This pattern is as represented
in the accompanying fac-simile diagram of a portion of the circle.
With 4^ drams, and \\ ozs. of No. 2 shot, pattern in 3o-inch at 40
Same charge, disyards, 160 pellets, penetration 25 sheets of strawboard.
tance, &c., but No. i shot, pattern 135, 50 being in a centre of 12 square
inches ; all pellets should be in a 25-inch circle at this distance
penetration
At 60 yards, No. 4 shot, the pattern should
31 sheets of strawboard.
average 78, and penetration be 18 sheets, with No. i shot, the pattern
60, the penetration 26 sheets.
The 8-bore with brass cases, standard charge 7 drams and 2\ ounces of
shot.
The light 8-bore with 32-inch barrels is suitable for a charge of
2 ounces of No. 6 shot ; and with No. 6 shot should put about 400 pellets
in a 3<>inch circle at 40 yards.
The 8-bore is, however, at its best with
shot of numbers between and including 4 and i. With No. i a sufficient velocity is attained to kill ducks at 150 yards, and a certainty of killing at 100
yards if the gun be held straight ; at greater distances the pattern is necessarily thin, and there will always be a risk of the bird escaping.
With 2\ ozs. No. 4 shot at 40 yards, the pattern should average 300,
and the penetration be equal to 34 sheets of strawboard ; with No. i shot,
pattern 220, penetration 40 sheets; at 60 yards the penetration of No. i
shot 34 sheets, at 80 yards 24 sheets, at 100 yards 16 sheets.
The penetration of seven sheets by one shot is sufficient to kill a duck.
With paper cases, 3 drams and 2\ ozs. of No. i shot, has given a
pattern of 195 pellets, at 40 yards ; same charge and conditions, but brass
cases, the pattern was 225.
The 4-bore brass case gun is quite as powerful as the 2-bore paper case

98

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

Fac-simile Diagram of Portion of Target, made with a Full-Choked lo-bore Gun,

No. 6 shot, distance 40 yards.

SPECIFICAL.

Fac- simile

Diagram made by Greener's 4-bore Wild-Fowling Gun, with No.

2

99

shot.

MODERN SHOT

ioo

GUNS.

A fac-simile diagram of the shooting

appended.
The standard charge is 9 drams and 3^ ozs. This charge and No. i
shot will average a pattern of 243, and penetration of 46 sheets at 40 yards ;
at 60 yards, pattern 150, penetration 34 sheets; at eighty yards, pattern
ioo yards, pattern 23, penetration 16 sheets.
65, penetration 24 sheets; at
With 12 drams and 2 ozs. of B. shot, a pattern of 230, and penetration of
54 sheets at 40 yards. The 4-bore shoots large shots well to the centre,
and gives a killing circle of about 6 feet at ioo yards.
the largest sporting bore made.

gun

of a

good 4-bore

is

subject of wild-fowl guns, their many modifications, and the

requirements of shore shooters and wild-fowlers generally,
more space than the author can now command. The wild-fowler,

The
peculiar
requires

however, will not hesitate to procure such books as "The Gun and its
"
Development," the volume Moor and Marsh," of the Badminton Library,

and " Wild-fowling in Ireland," by Sir Ralph Payne Gallwey,

modern works he will find his speciality more fully treated.

in all of

which

The brass case, as already stated, is admirably adapted for use in

wild- fowling guns, but since the introduction of cheap brass cases, a special
class of gun has been produced to use them to best advantage. These guns
are generally known as Brass Case Guns.
The brass case gun is a gun in which thin brass cases alone can be used
if
good shooting is required. The difference between the diameter of the

chamber and the

barrel is so infinitesimal that the cone is practically

Brass case guns have, therefore, larger barrels than paper case
i2-bore paper case gun is about
guns of the same nominal gauge.
i2-bore brass
i3-bore, the i2-bore brass case gun is nearly n-bore.
case gun, if built strongly and with plenty of metal in the barrels, may be
used with lo-bore charges. The 1 4-bore brass case gun is equal to an
The various advantages of the two guns
ordinary 1 2-bore paper case gun.
will be specified in a succeeding section.

abolished.

WHAT A GUN SHOULD

THE
little

28-BORE should have 25 or 27-inch

choking, and average

Charge
powder.
\\

*32
i

| oz. No. 8
Schultze f oz. No. 6
| oz. No. 6

\ drams

Over-loaded.

barrels,

which

will require

but

3o-inch
Pattern.

drams
grs.

DO.

Cardboard

Mean

penetration.

velocity.

150
124
130

Force
at impact.

13

705

o 66

22

940
720

1*87

17

This charge has been too frequently used

1*96

26 grains does better.

The weight should not be less than 4, nor more than 4f Ibs. Recoil
60 Ibs. The 28-bore must not be loaded with i oz. of shot, as is too often
done.
This calibre especially is too frequently much over-loaded. The
28-bore must be used with brass cases

is

desired.

if

the full capability of this calibre

SPECIFICAL.

101

THE 24- BORE is but little used; it comes about midway in pattern,
penetration, recoil, &c., between the 28 and 20-bore.
THE 20-BORE is the smallest bore sought after by the general sportsman
a gun of 5^ Ibs. weight, and with 28-inch barrels, may be taken as repre;

senting fairly the 2o-cal. class,

and should average

AT FORTY YARDS.
Charge.

MODERN SHOT

102

GUNS.

I2-BORE FULL-CHOKE may be made as light as 6 Ibs., with 27-in. or

but from 6 Ibs. 10 oz. to -j\ Ibs. is the more general weight.
Guns under 7 Ibs. should have 28-in. barrels over that they may be 30 in.
The author has made i2-bores with barrels but 24 in. long, and they
have performed remarkably well with ordinary charges; also i2-bores, with
but their performance has not surpassed
32, 34, and 36 in.
longer barrels
that of 28 or 3o-in. barrels with ordinary charges.
Twelve-bores under 7 Ibs. will not shoot a heavier charge than 3^
drams and i|- oz. with comfort to the shooter. If over 7 Ibs. and under
be 3^ drams and ij oz. ; over 7 \ Ibs., guns are
7-| Ibs., the charge may
28-in. barrels,

usually built for extra-long cartridge-cases and special charges.

The usual full-choked i2-cal. gun with 3o-inch barrels, and weighing
7 Ibs.,

should average

AT FORTY YARDS.
Charge.

SPECIFICAL.

103

constructed for them require great attention, or they will not shoot at

all

regularly.

To make the i2-bore gun a more powerful shooter than its calibre
warrants has long exercised the ingenuity of inventors.
The Lancaster
concentrator for increasing the range of guns was one of the earliest and
perhaps one of the best of devices for the purpose, and has enabled long
shots at wild fowl, with small and other bore guns, to prove efficacious
where otherwise they would not have been so. The wire cartridge tended
to still further concentrate the shot, and at ordinary ranges the charge too
often fled as a bullet.
John's Shrapnell shell is one of the latest attempts to make a cylinderbored shot gun efficient at very long ranges. The adjoining illustration
shows this shell in both its forms.

The

Shrapnell Spherical and Elongated Shot Shells.

The

Shrapnell shell consists of two segments, bolted together by a

lower end being fixed to ordinary wadding slightly
The shell is put into the cartridge
larger in circumference than the shell.
case instead of loose shot.
This shell diifers from ordinary concentrators, and, according to the
The opening of the
inventor, the following is the theory of its action
shell is regulated by the length of the spindle, yet for a certain period
during its flight the spindle is locked in the shell owing to the temporary
distension of the two segments by the contained shot pressing to the
circumference of the shell.
When the contained pellets acquire a uniform
velocity, they settle down, the shell relaxes, and the spindle is snatched
When the atmosphere begins to withdraw the spindle it is then
away.
light wire spindle, its

MODERN SHOT

IO4

GUNS.

that the length of spindle tells, and by the time the spindle is withdrawn
from the shell the pellets have all acquired their own path, and cease to
120 yards a circle four feet in diameter should include
jostle each other ; at
the whole of the pattern.
Owing to the temporary locking of the spindle
the spherical shell has a minimum range of 90 yards that is to say, it flies
as a bullet for that distance, but it is effective at from 95 to 140 yards.
:

The

Shrapnell shells and other concentrators are only of use in guns

cylinder bored.

GUNS FOR BUCKSHOT.

special gun is required to shoot large shot of three, four, or five to

the layer, with the best results, and such guns of i2-bore, if correctly
constructed, will shoot at long ranges with such force and accuracy that
they may with advantage be substituted for rifles for small deer shooting.
The following letter, which appeared in the Field on February t5th,
1887, will convey an accurate idea of the nature and power of a true

buckshot gun

I sent you an article, in which I gave my idea of boring a

SIR,
breech-loader for shooting buckshot with a certainty of killing a deer from 100 to 150
yards ; also stating if 1 could get W. W. Greener to make an extra pair of barrels for the
gun he made for me several years since, and bore it according to my suggestion, I
believed I could accomplish my object. In a short time after the article appeared in the
Field, Mr. Greener wrote to me "that he fully understood what I wanted, but that it
would be cheaper for me to have him build a new guni" I consented, and he sent me a
No. 12 hammerless gun 30 in. barrels, weight 7^ Ibs. which I received last June. It
has more than met my most sanguine expectations, and fully verified my opinion, not
only shooting buckshot with the certainty of killing a deer from 100 to 150 yards, but
also proving a remarkable shooter with small shot.
During the past summer I only got shots at six deer, killing each shot. The longest
shot was 91 yards, the deer being struck with three shot, one breaking the back, and the
other two just below.
I shot too high, the deer being in the act of leaping high, and the
remaining six shots passed into a gum-tree above the height of the deer.
In a number of trials at a 3o-in. circle, from 100 to 156 yards, not a shot was fired
that would not have killed a deer.
At the distance of 156 yards a shot made by Dr.
Hargrove, of Knox Point Post-office, three shots would have entered the side of a deer.
Near Houghton Post-office a number of shots were fired by John A. Skannall, Money
These gentlemen are among our most eminent planters,
Brian, and George Conway.
and distinguished for their fine shooting. At 100 yards from five to six shots were put in
the target out of a possible nine at every discharge.
At 125 yards never less than four
shots would have entered the side of a deer.
Last week, while hunting partridges, I inserted a shell loaded with buckshot, and
'ive it to Mr. Tom Barrett, a lawyer of Shreveport, to shoot at a sparrow-hawk.
He
killed it at the distance of 90 yards.
At a trial made in Shreveport a number of distinguished gentlemen attended. They
were sceptical as to the long range of this gun, and would not believe, unless they
measured the distance, and shot the gun. They brought a tape line and measured 125
yards.
Among them were Hon. A. C. Blanchard, member of Congress from the Fourth
District of Louisiana
his law partner, Alexander ; and Capt. Smith, superintendent of
the Fair Grounds.
They themselves shot my gun with results similar to what I have
above stated, putting from two to three shots in less than 3 in. of the centre of a 3O-in.
circle at every discharge.
I give the names of these gentlemen, with post-office
I
addresses, so that, should any one doubt my statement, they could be referred to.

About a year ago

SPECIFICAL.

105

add the names of Capt. Ike Dyer and Capt. Jas. Y. Webb, of Minden, La.,
would
who were the first to test the qualities of this gun after I received it.
It is a very great advantage to have a breech-loader doing such extraordinary shooting
with buckshot, and at the same time proving a very fine gun with small shot.
I have no doubt that W. W. Greener, of St. Mary's Square, Birmingham, England,
could duplicate this gun for any one who may desire to get the best deer gun which has
been manufactured during this century.
Not long since, in the presence of a number of cadets of the Thatcher Military
Institute, of Shreveport, I fired with buckshot at a 3-in. circle, 90 yards distant, and
A deer would have been struck with
struck it with three shots, one grazing the centre.
also

eight of 'the possible nine shots.

GEO. D. ALEXANDER.

SHOT-GUNS AS BALL-GUNS.

known that the ordinary double-barrelled cylinder shot-gun

shoot spherical bullets with fair accuracy up to fifty yards.
The recoil felt by firing a light i2-bore gun with a spherical bullet is
very considerable ; as a matter of fact, the recoil is 13 Ibs. heavier with a
bullet and standard charge of powder than with the standard charge
of shot.
"
Mead" shell
lighter bullet was, therefore, a desideratum, and the
was produced. This consists simply of a hollow spherical
core cast in the spherical bullet ; it is shown in the adjoining
illustration.
The hollow core may be filled with an explosive if deemed advisable, and a large charge of powder
may be used, and a higher velocity and lower trajectory is
obtained than can be got from a spherical bullet of the same
The ordinary game shot-gun will not The "Mead"
size with a shot-gun.
she11
shoot bullets so well as a properly built ball-gun (not rifled) ;
but the accuracy is such that all bullets may be got into a 1 2-inch circle at
The charge should not be more than
forty yards by a good marksman.
2 1 drams of No. 4 or No. 6-grained powder.
For use in shot-guns, special projectiles have been invented which
shall fly better than the ordinary spherical ball
some of these have projecting wings wound spirally round the bullet, but the best known are the
invention of Dr. Macleod.
In the first model holes are cast in the bullet, and it is asserted that
they will be revolved by the air rushing through the eccentric holes as
the bullet takes its flight.
This heavy bullet a i2-bore, weighs f oz.,
and is i J inches in length must not be be used in a light gun, and even
in a gun of 8 Ibs. weight will require an indiarubber wad half an inch in
thickness to be placed over the powder before the bullet can be fired
without occasioning a painful recoil.
In the last model the loose revolving rudder affixed to the projectile is
said to steer it a more sure course.
It is open to many of the objections
advanced against the first model.
rifle barrel will not shoot shot well, but the most suitable rifling is
It is well

will

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

SPECIFICAL.

07

undoubtedly the Lancaster oval bore, which permits of accuracy with

either spherical or conoidal bullets, and a fair average pattern with shot of
various sizes.

Gun

barrels,

when choke-bored, may also be rifled for a few inches at

"
"
"
Murphy and the Paradox guns and these

the muzzle, as in the "

weapons, although they will not shoot shot as closely and regularly as a
true choke-bore, nevertheless perform up to the average, and are accurate
with bullets at short ranges.
Weapons of this nature should be considered
rather as rifles specially constructed for shot than as shot-guns for ball.
The Government Proof-House Regulations require that such weapons be
proved as rifles that is to say, tested with ball.
As already stated, the concentrator occasionally acts as a bullet, and
the Shrapnell shell may be used as one by turning over the wire spindle.
Choke-bore guns may be used as ball-guns, providing that the bullet to
be fired will pass easily through the muzzle, and it may be interesting to
sportsmen to know that choke-bore guns shoot ball QUITE AS WELL as guns
bored perfect cylinders.
Especially is this of interest to those who use but
one gun, and have often the chance of a shot or two at big game. Gunmakers and sportsmen alike have been misled by the proof marks ; on all
"
choke-bores " Not for ball has been imprinted.
Another point to be noticed is, that when one barrel be modified choke
or cylinder, // is only necessary to iise the one-sized ball, the larger bored

and purposes as well as the barrel for which

moulded.
Any gun which is safe to use with shot would be quite as safe with
ball, provided that ordinary care be taken to see that the ball be not
larger than the smallest part of the barrel, and the charge of powder does
not exceed the ordinary one used with shot.
Further, the ring wads are
not at all necessary one card and one thick felt over the powder, the ball
being fixed in either by an ordinary turnover or crimper, will give all that
barrel shooting to all intents

the ball

is

is

NEITHER WAD NOR PATCH OVER THE BALL.

The adjoined diagram was made by a full-choke-bored

desired.

light game gun,

charged with 2| drams powder, bullet i4-bore, and i2-gauge case, distance
40 yards.

RIFLED SHOT-GUNS AND CHOKE-BORED RIFLES.

The endeavours of gunmakers towards producing a good all-round

weapon have resulted in such inventions as rifled shot-guns and chokebored rifles, from which both shot and ball cartridges may be indiscrimiThe rifled shot-gun (Fosbery's Patent) has the barrel of an
nately fired.
ordinary choke-bored shot-gun rifled for the last few inches of its length,
a sharp spiral is adopted, and a grooving of sufficient sharpness to turn a
conical-cannelured bullet.
Such weapons shoot shot moderately well
much better than the ordinary cylinder shot-gun, but not so closely as

MODERN SHOT

io8
the perfectly

choked gun

and conical

GUNS.
bullets

with accuracy to

100

yards.

oval bore rifle, if the spiral be not too sharp, will throw shot
well at ordinary ranges, but a still better weapon than either of
and
closely
these is the Choke-bore rifle, in which a rifle with modern shallow grooving
is choke-bored at the muzzle (Greener's Patent) and has a perfectly smooth

The

surface throughout

its

entire length.

and 12 gauges, and in all performs equally well.

with ij ounce of shot averages 200 pellets in
i2-bore
of
the
pattern
the 30-inch circle at 40 yards ; and with either spherical or conical bullets,
Whether made as a
or Mead shells, it is accurate at all sporting ranges.
cylinder, a modified choke, or full choke, the bullet is of the same diameter.
These weapons are treated by the Government Proof Houses as rifles,
and are subjected to special tests with ball. They are usually made of
and for both bear and boar shooting
say 7 Ibs. i2-bore
light weight
It is

made

in 20, 16,

The

they offer many advantages, and as a second rifle they fill a need which
many a hunter of large game, pioneer, and explorer has often felt.
Wherever large game is occasionally to be met with, they form the best
armament of the sportsman.
It will shoot spherical bullets with a large charge of powder, and will
therefore commend itself to many who desire a second weapon for use
against buffalo or the pachydermata.

RIFLE AND SHOT-GUNS.

The combination of a rifle and shot-gun in one double-barrelled weapon
is much esteemed by South African sportsmen. The rifle-barrel, usually the
left, may be rifled on any system.
Henry rifling is still most in favour at
the Cape, and may be of '450 or '500 bore the proper proportions of the
;

and i6-bore shot-barrel, or '500 rifle-barrel and

i2-bore shot-barrel.
These arms are only useful in countries where the
kind of game that may be met with cannot be determined beforehand, or
for emigrants who cannot afford more than one gun.
They have many
drawbacks.
The weapon is too heavy as a shot-gun, and makes flying
shots almost an impossibility.
The balance, of course, is bad. As a rifle
the weapon is too light, and the recoil with some of the heavier loaded
two being '450

cartridges

is

rifle-barrel

considerable.

The heavy

rifle-barrel

not giving way in the least causes the shot-barrel

become the more

easily dented and damaged ; a fall to a rifle and

The rifle
shot-gun generally finishes most disastrously for the shot-barrel.
may be chambered for either of the Express cartridges or the long-range

to

No.

musket-case

the last-named

is

most

in favour in the

The Government regulation ammunition may

not recommend it.
In

all

cases where practicable, a single

the rifle and shot-gun.

far preferable to

also

rifle

Cape

Colonies.

be employed, but we do

and a double shot-gun are

SECTION

VI.

CRITICAL,

THE CHOICE OF
THE
it is

A GUN.

choice of a gun will be determined, first, by the purpose for which

be used ; secondly, by the physique of the person by whom it will

to

be used.
For general sporting purposes the all-round weapon for use in any
country is the i2-gauge gun with 30-inch barrels, weighing 7 Ibs.
In Section V. is specified the kind of gun required for any one
particular sport, and the following remarks will enable the sportsman to
determine what particular gun, of the kind already determined upon, will
best suit him.
The criticisms and conclusions of the author will be found
applicable to guns of all gauges, and for all purposes other than wildfowling.

The sportsman having decided

to purchase a gun, must address himself

or dealer.
And here a word of seasonable advice.
In most countries where there exists an importation impost of more than 10
per cent, it will usually be cheaper to purchase of an importer than to import
to either a

gunmaker

In some places, however, the local trader enjoys a practical

monopoly, and the prices consequently range very high ; it is, therefore, as well
a special gun.

list of prices with that of the home manufacturer,

The frauds practised
competition between rival houses.
by gunmakers are too numerous and most reprehensible, but it is doubtful
if they equal in number or seriousness the tricks of the
unscrupulous
dealer.
The sportsman would therefore do well to go to a dealer of
established reputation, or have some assurances of the honest dealing of
an unknown man who offers cheap lines.
It must not be thought that every one who offers a Greener "gun
for sale, or who advertises
that he keeps a large stock of Greener's
goods, is beyond suspicion. Many of the most unscrupulous make a point
of possessing some guns by makers of good reputation, borrowing from the
manufacturer's good name somewhat to whiten their own evil notoriety, and
thinking that the association of their house with that of a house enjoying
an enviable distinction will be a guarantee of their own probity. Choose
your dealer with care. The author has appointed agents in various towns,
and has satisfied himself of the bond fides of all to whom he has granted
authority to represent him ; but many advertise themselves as agents who
have no authority so to do.
As with the dealer so with the gunmaker. Go to some maker of

to

compare the importer's

unless there

is

MODERN SHOT

no

GUNS.

established reputation, unless you have very strong reasons for going elseThe author does not for one moment wish it to be thought that
where.
good guns are built alone by those makers whose names are household
words with shooting men, but it is more probable that the inexperienced

gun buyer

will

than that he
maker.

be cheated if he purchases a gun with an unknown name,

have purchased the good weapon of the but little-known

will

upon purchasing of a well-known maker, the choice

and in determining upon the merits of rival systems
the would-be purchaser will find ample opportunities for the exercise of his

Even

is

after deciding

practically illimitable,

critical abilities.

Should he have

set for himself a high standard of ideal

excellence, he will find difficulties

will

enough before he has found a gun that

be in every way satisfactory.

As to the material of which the gun barrel

is

composed, as already
and of each of

stated in the analytical section, there are three species,

these are several varieties.

Of these, the Belgian barrels will be condemned. Made of much softer

metal than English Damascus barrels, they will not stand full choke-boring,
and so soft and yielding are they that they bulge at the choke when fired,
and cannot be made to retain their shooting qualities. These remarks
apply to all qualities of Belgian Damascus barrels.
Of English twist barrels there are two types the machine-made, which
have a rather coarse appearance, and often present irregularities of the
and the hand-welded barrels, which contain a larger percentage of
figure
;

and are now very difficult to obtain.

For general purposes the machine-made barrel will be found serviceable
and safe, and even if it have a few specks, it may be taken, for such small
stains are of no practical importance or real detriment to the gun, and it
is almost impossible to have a barrel of this
description entirely free from
steel,

them.

The best hand-made English Damascus

made at Birmingham only, and are without

or laminated steel barrels are

a doubt unrivalled the world
For beauty, durability, and reliability they are far ahead of every
over.
other description of barrel whatsoever.
As they are closely imitated by the Belgian welders, purchasers of guns
who feel in doubt as to whether or not the barrels of the gun offered them
are of English or foreign manufacture, should ask for a written guarantee
that the barrels are English-made and of English metal ; and as the dealer,
if an expert in technical matters, as he should be, cannot be deceived
by

Belgian imitations, he can have no hesitation in giving the written guarantee required ; but it must be remembered that a reference to the proof
mark will not reveal the gun's origin. Belgian barrels have been worked

up by incompetent English gunmakers to the great detriment of the reof laminated steel and Damascus barrels generally, and this

putation
practice

may

yet long continue.

CRITICAL.

The greatest blame attaches to those London gimmakers who have

long used, and continue to use, an inferior Belgian imitation of a genuine
English product, and which they know, and have long known, to be
inferior.

Steel barrels, even of the best quality, will not stand heavier charges
than the best barrels of English laminated steel, nor do they show any
superiority over best Damascus or laminated steel barrels in any way.
They offer certain advantages to gunmakers which it is not the object of
this

book

to disclose.

of the best quality, may be rendered unsafe by

testing these barrels after they have been
brazed which can be absolutely relied upon to indicate their soundness,
or reveal the nature of their deterioration.
gun with steel barrels should only be purchased of a reliable maker
or dealer, and if a certain brand of steel is required, a written guarantee
should be demanded, as the steel itself does not show any mark by which
" Whitworth " or other brand
the true
may be known.
It is necessary that the gun be safe when fired with any charge of any
explosive that can be got into the cartridge case for which the gun is
chambered.
It must be safe also from accidental discharge.
It must
have a breech mechanism that will wear, and be easily manipulated, easily
It must be pleasing to the eye and fit like
loaded, and as easy to unload.
a glove, kill anything at every reasonable range, and the cost must be
In fact, every good quality is expected without the accommoderate.
Steel barrels, even
brazing, but there is a

way of

panying drawbacks, and a perfect weapon is expected because a gun is

something which can be built to order, and need not be purchased readymade like a horse. The safety of the weapon with any charge should be
guaranteed by the Government Proof House, an institution for which the
gunmaker is heavily taxed. As a matter of fact the Government Proof
House test has long been useless so far as any guarantee of the gun's safety
is concerned.
Guns and barrels brought direct from the proof house have
burst in the hands of gunmakers' assistants, or whilst otherwise undergoing
such tests as the maker has thought needful to determine the safety of his
Reform has long been needed, and after long agitation certain
weapons.
alterations have been proposed, which, when practised, will be some
guarantee to the gunmaker that the weapon proved is a sound one.
All gunmakers of reputation test their guns with heavy sporting charges
of sporting gunpowder, as well as making sufficient tests of the weapon's
Until the Government proof test is an all-sufficient one
shooting powers.
this will be absolutely necessary.
The proof-mark, therefore, will not be
taken by the buyer as of any practical value, although he will, of course,
The guarantee of the gun's
reject at once any weapon not possessing it.
safety in this respect

must be the name

it

bears.

of lock mechanism will be safe from accidental discharge, providing the lock mechanism has been made and fitted

Any gun upon any system

MODERN SHOT

112

GUNS.

and experienced man, and the work done carefully with the
price, therefore, of the weapon will be a guarantee of
weapon on this point. In the choice of breech mechanism
Side and bottom levers will not
a top lever will certainly be decided upon.
be chosen, save for very special purposes or to accommodate a sportsman

by an

intelligent

best material.
the safety of the

The

The top lever so conhabituated to this form of lever from long use.
veniently placed enables even the most determined adherent to any other
form of lever quickly and comfortably to manipulate the breech mechanism.
As to holding-down bolts and cross or grip bolts, the number and position

The Working and Bearing

Parts of a

Hammerless Breech-Action.

of the barrel lugs, the sportsman will stipulate for two binding and wellbottom lumps or lugs, substantial in size, and the back lump so
shaped as to correspond with the circular front of the slot in which it is
embedded, and so well fit that when the gun is closed and fired this back
portion of the lump shall take part of the strain as well as the hinge pin.
This method of fitting the barrels to the breech mechanism is technically
termed " jointing on the circle," and the accompanying illustration will convey a better idea of its nature than any verbal description.
The need of a larger number of barrel-lugs situated under the barrels
has never been made manifest, although some gunmakers put four instead
of two.
Certain descriptions of guns, by reason of the arrangement of
other mechanism, may, however, cause the number and position of the
bottom barrel lumps to be other than these described as generally advisable.
It is the mere multiplication of these lumps for the sake of
intricacy that
he author wishes to warn sportsmen against.
fitted

CRITICAL.

113

Guns very carefully built and carefully used with moderate charges
have withstood even continual wear for years without other bolts than the
"
"
ordinary double holding-down, or, as it is sometimes called,
Purdey
a
is
sound
it
advisable
have
to
connection
bolt; but, generally speaking,
top
between the barrels and the breech-action. It is always safer to have such
a

fitting,

and

in

some

to be of real service,

cases

it is

a positive necessity.
The top connection,
not a sham, not a make-believe
;

must be a good one

"giant," "hold-fast," or "triple-wedge-fast grip."

The common top connection is a "dolPs-head" fitting

more

or less

Top-connections between Barrels and Breech-Action Bodies.

badly into an ill-shaped hole, hollowed out in the standing breech to

This useless
it.
(See No. 3 in the accompanying illustration.)
encumbrance is affixed to guns to appease the ever-increasing demand
for an efficient top-connection which the success of the author's and the
No. 2 of the illustration
Westley Richards' mechanisms has produced.
shows the Westley Richards' the best form of " doll's head." The strain
upon firing is in the direction of the arrow, but at the same time the
expansion of the barrels conveys to the extension a tendency to move
in the direction of the shorter arrow
(A) ; the bolt into this top extension
in some measure
prevents movement in the direction of A, but much
depends upon the manner in which the bolt is fitted. At the best this
contrivance is inferior to that mechanism invented by the author in 1873,
and now is well known as " Greener's Treble Wedge-Fast." The principal
feature in this mechanism is the cross-bolt working transversely in the
receive

MODERN SHOT

H4

GUNS.

wedging the barrels to the breech-action body

shows this bolt. It is worked by
not only to the strength
adds
and
the
immensely,
an arm on
top lever,
and stability of the breech mechanism, but will cause the gun to withstand

and

standing breech,

at the top.

No.

in the illustration

successfully continuous wear.

be given of the necessity 01
The following is the best proof that can
"
Greener cross-bolt."
a top connection, and the advantage of the
After the close of the Field trial of explosives in 1878, the manager

made
(the editor of the Field)
of powders on gun actions.

some experiments

as to the breaking strain

constructed a gun in such a
"
To
cross-bolt."
manner that it could be used either with or without his
this gun a small arrangement was fixed, as in the adjoining illustration.

The author

Experimental Breech-Action.

Between the hook

attached
(b) on the break-off and the screw-clip (a a)
a piece of silver paper can be strained, so that when any
separation between the barrels and the breech-action takes place, during
an explosion, the paper breaks.
Both barrels are loaded equally, after
which one is fired with the bolt in, and then, supposing no breakage occurs,
the bolt is removed and the other barrel is discharged.
"
" we found
Experimenting in this way," writes the editor of the Field,
that in Mr. Greener's action no breakage occurred ; with the bolt in
position, the paper remained intact up to the last." With sixty-five grains oi
Schultze powder and with seven drams of Curtis and Harvey's No. 3, therewas a slight breakage of the paper (the top bolt being out), and with 75
Schultze powder, " there was not only complete breakage of paper, but
to the barrels

CRITICAL.

\ 1

such a permanent opening of the breech of the gun as to stop the experiment."
Mr. J. H. Walsh, in his work " The Modern Sportsman's Gun and Rifle,'
writes in flattering terms of this action, whose advantages he was one of
the first to demonstrate, and it is now even acknowledged by contemporary
7

gunmakers
It

is

to possess great merit.

superior in strength

far

and

lasting

power

to

the double-grip

double 4-bore and a double 8-bore were made on this, the top
cross-bolt, principle, in 1874, for Mr. G. P. Sanderson, superintendent of
the Government Elephant Keddahs, Decca.
They have been in continual
use ever since, firing 2-oz. bullets with 12 drams and 4-oz. bullets with
1 6 drams of
powder, "hundreds of times," and to quote Mr. Sanderson,

action.

"

the breech-actions are as sound and close as when they left the factory
These rifles are still in use, and doing excellent
nearly ten years ago."
service.

good reputation essayed some time ago to make one

large-gauge elephant rifles on the double-grip plan, using
"
also the " doll's-head
extension as a top connection.
Three breechactions were successively fitted, and all were strained and broken in the
preliminary trials, and the prospect of getting one to stand the heavy
sporting charges was so remote that the construction of the rifle upon
that plan had to be abandoned.
The author can vouch for the truth of
this statement.
Greener Treble Wedge-Fast Gun may be fired hundreds of thousands
of times without any repairs being required.
To the author's knowledge
the gun he supplied to Dr. Carver in 1878 was fired 130,000 times without
any repairs being done or required ; and the gun is still in use, and has
had possibly thousands of shots fired from it since the author last saw it.
The sportsman will choose a gun with this top cross-bolt, providing
he wants a gun that will fire
any charge without the breech-action giving
way, providing he requires a light gun a gun for very heavy charges
a gun for hard wear a gun that will last him and always be satisfactory.
The tendency now is to build guns with shorter breech-actions than
formerly, and consequently the strain upon the breech mechanism is greatly
increased, and renders the use of the top cross-bolt still more imperative.
With a top cross-bolt both barrels may be fired together without the least
possibility of the breech-action giving way, and as this is a contingency
that may at any moment accidentally arise, it is as well to be furnished with
a gun that will stand both barrels being fired together.
of

rifle-maker of

their

HAMMER OR HAMMERLESS.
The

introduction of any important novelty to the shooting world is the

the introducer to be bitterly assailed
and discussions are
promoted in which arguments are advanced, which not only have no

signal

for

n6

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

bearing upon the subject, but divert into side issues the attention of
and so keep the main question unsettled. It is this way with the
sportsmen,
"
"Choke introduced in .1874, and with hammerless guns.
The leaders of the fashion in shooting circles and the accepted authorities upon gunnery beg to differ, and sportsmen are left in doubt as to the
The would-be gun critics
merits or disadvantages of any vaunted novelty.
are too often better judges of dogs than of guns, and with no accepted
standard of what a gun should be or do the dictum of an ignoramus will
occasionally pass as a pearl of wisdom.
One shooting newspaper has quite recently discovered that choke-bore
guns are all a mistake, and advances ten years after their introduction the
very same arguments which were advanced and disproved in the last decade.
So is it with hammerless guns. We find Mr. Walsh, the well-known
editor of the Field, writing that "the hammerless gun is the superior in
The hammerless gun is, I think, to be
point of safety and efficiency.
On the other hand, in the Badminton Library, we find the
preferred."
assembled and aggregate wisdom of the leading shooting men of Great
.

"
Britain, as written by their deputy, to be
They (hammerless guns) are
as
at
first
and
easier
to load than are hammer guns,
not,
maintained, quicker
and are liable to damage ; " and a page is devoted to prove that hammerless
:

guns are not any improvement upon hammered guns. The last sentence,
"
As we, however, believe that hammerless are
however, commences,
Even the
unquestionably the guns of the future, we have depicted," &c.
most prejudiced against hammerless guns cannot convince themselves of the
equality even of the hammered gun.
There is often a cause for this prejudice. The sportsman with a pair of
old guns, and on the look-out for new ones, is absolutely without prejudice.
He goes to his gunmaker, a most worthy and honest man doubtless, who
has served him and his friends well for years, and he accepts the
notions of his gunmaker.
The gunmaker may have ^15,000 worth of
hammered guns, old stock, and no interest in any good new hammerless
gun ; or he has not invented, or introduced, or recommended choke- boring,
and he is hearty in his denunciations of the " fads of Brummagem." This
opinion is passed on. Our dog-breeders, editors, and authoritative sportsmen call on this gunmaker and find it easier to pass on his opinion than
form one for themselves.
But the gunmaker's stock gets older and mustier, and as its value
decreases his denunciations become more fierce and worthless, and this is
how it comes that old diatribes are reiterated year after year, when the
value of the invention itself has
long been proved beyond all question.
The greater number of gunmakers more or less readily take up a
novelty,

making

joint or several effort to break through

when they can make

any monoply, and

or sell any other person's invention with impunity, do

not bate one jot from the inventor himself in
The
praise of the novelty.
first endeavour is to secure a
monopoly, the next to realise their old stock,

CRITICAL.

117

loudly declaiming against the novelty whilst they do so ; then push their
modified form of the novelty.
If the newspaper critic is inspired by this
"
gunmaker, he writes for hammerless guns ; if by Old Stock," the gunIf he uses the guns, he writes in praise of the
seller, against them.

new weapons.
Having detailed

much

of the modus operandi followed in producing

concisely why hammerless
guns are to be preferred to hammered guns.
i st.
They are safer.
2nd. They are quicker.
3rd. Cateris paribuS) they are stronger.
4th. They are less liable to damage.
5th. They are more reliable.
6th. They are less complex.
yth. They are more handy.
so

author

criticism, the

will

proceed to state

They may be more durable, more economical, and more beautiful.

The hammerless gun of inferior quality is as dangerous as the inferior
hammered gun, if not more so and in the choice of a hammerless gun the
;

be guided by, ist, the simplicity of the mechanism, 2nd, the

efficiency of the mechanical parts introduced to effect that hitherto performed by hand.
It has already been shown in Section III. .that a hammerless breechloader can be constructed with fewer parts than a hammered breech-loader.
The sportsman must choose a gun so constructed. If a special lever is
desired, as under, side, or the double-grip lever, good guns have been devised
on each of these plans. There is the "Greener" Club, with under lever;

sportsman

will

The top
Grant's, with side lever ; and Allport's, with the double-grip lever.
lever will doubtless have the preference, and here there is abundant choice.
All guns cocking by means of mechanism geared or in any way connected
with or dependent upon the motion of the top breech-action lever for
will be at once rejected.
Because
does not snap " home," and because

effecting the cocking of the gun,

liable to miss-fires if the lever

generally fitted with

weak mainsprings, and

it is

it

is

often requires great force to

open.

Of those guns cocked by

the falling of the barrels or closing of the gun

do not permit of the barrels being placed
readily upon the stock ; 2nd, that may be wrongly put together and so
Because all
cause a breakage
3rd, all that require a jerk to open or shut.
such guns will be an annoyance to the owner, and in the case of the last
objection will cause undue wear at the hinge joint and need early repairs.
Of guns which work easily and pleasantly, and have none of the above
objections, will be rejected all that have the mechanism so arranged as not
to be readily accessible to determine whether or not any part be fractured in
case the gun refuses to function, or whether or not a lubricant should

will

be rejected

all

that,

ist,

be applied.

There are several guns which

will fulfil

every requirement

MODERN SHOT

u8

GUNS.

The Anson and Deeley is

of the sportsman so far as mechanism goes.
a simple mechanism, which has only a few of the objections the author
has advanced.
Greener's Facile Princeps has merits not possessed by the Anson and
The sportsman will make himDeeley, and it is different to it in principle.
self acquainted with two or more rival systems before* purchasing, and he
will learn sufficient concerning the mechanism of the gun he makes his
own to inspire him with complete confidence as to its safety and his ability
to use it.
And one word of warning here as to the " safety " of hammerless guns.
The safety is an adjunct, not a necessity, and if badly constructed or faulty
in principle it may be an instrument productive of danger and fraught with
There are several simple and efficient safeties open for any
make use of, and it will usually rest with him to fit such a
one as will best suit the particular gun he is constructing.
The author recommends the hammerless guns strongly, he has a large
stock of hammer guns unsold, and each hammerless gun he makes costs
him more than the same grade of hammered guns ; but he is so fully convinced of the merits of the hammerless gun when properly made, that he
has always been one of its strongest advocates, and has made more than
any other gunmaker. Of the guns he has made fully 99 per cent, have
been fitted with trigger-bolting safes not automatic in their action, and
these have given complete satisfaction, not a single complaint having been
annoyance.

gunmaker

to

made concerning them.

The self-cocking of the

is in itself an immense advantage, and the

by reducing the number of movements to be

locks

self-ejecting of the fired case,

made by the hands when loading, is decidedly worthy of every support.

The self-ejecting mechanism employed by the author, and described and
illustrated in Section II., is of the simplest kind, and invariably does the
work required of it well and with certainty. It has been well tried in every

quarter of the globe, and is recommended by all who have made use of it.
It stands at the present time at the head of
sporting guns, the nearest to
perfection.

The following opinions or excerpts from lengthy arguments in favour of

hammerless and ejecting hammerless guns shall close these remarks on the
choice of a hammerless gun
:

"The absence of hammers makes the gun very convenient, especially for covert
shooting, to which I cannot speak too highly of its superiority combined with safety and
ease of manipulation.
"GERALD L. GOODLAKE, Col."
"

The hammerless guns you made for me about four years ago have stood remarkably
well ; they have never been out of order ; the locks have never been taken off ; neither
" GRANARD."
has the safety-bolt been taken out or cleaned.
"
neat,

the gun very much indeed, and find it very handy.

The action,
and an improvement on the older pattern of hammerless."

I like

too,

is

very

CRITICAL.

19

" I do not see that there is

anything in the ejecting action which will make them
wear out sooner than other guns ; at any rate, mine work as smoothly and perfectly now
as they did the first day I used them."
" I received the
I returned it three weeks since.
It was never
ejector last autumn.
in that time out of my possession, was never out of gear in any way.
It had done lots of
work before it came into my hands, and is as ready to go through as much more.
.
.

me to be celerity, comfort, and economy. An ejector gun

advantages appear to
"
will do the work of two guns.
" The
is
a
it throws out the
Ejector Gun
step in the right direction
empty cases perThis ejecting is a great convenience in a hot corner."
fectly.
" With reference to the
of
hammerless
I
safety
guns,
agree with you that a safety bolt,
to be of any value, ought to be reliable, and to illustrate my meaning, the following may
When grouse driving on the Berwyn Mountains, in Montgomeryinterest your readers
shire, some ten days since, and using a Greener ejecting gun, with safety bolt, the rain
commenced descending in torrents, and, as a fog seemed imminent, the order was given
Instead of following the downward track adopted by the keepers and beaters,
for home.
I decided on a shorter line of country, and decided to make my way along the face of a
safe,' I
steep hill, scantily covered with fern.
Placing my gun, which was loaded, at
made the attempt, and got on fairly well for a hundred yards, when I suddenly slipped
After going some forty feet, and finding the pace
and began rapidly to descend.
increasing, I was forced to let my gun go.
Slipping and swinging round, presenting its
stock and muzzle alternately at my head, it shot rapidly down the hill and disappeared
over the cliff, towards which I unwillingly followed.
My sensation at that moment I keep
to myself.
Luckily some friendly ferns checked my pace, and I brought up a few yards
from the edge. Regaining my feet, I cautiously proceeded till I got on a sheep track, and
succeeded by the aid of a boulder in gaining such a foothold as to enable me to approach
the edge and attract the attention of the men, then hundreds of feet below me.
Indicating that I had lost my gun, one of them with great difficulty climbed up the face of the
hill, and after some time uttered a shout.
Then, far below me, and embedded half-way
up the barrels, with the stock sticking straight up, I perceived the gun. A mossy spring
between two rocks had received it in its fall a couple of yards to the right or left, and it
would have been smashed to atoms. Twenty minutes later it was restored to me, the
barrels plugged up for some inches, but apparently having received no external injury,
save a few scratches, and a piece chipped off the heelplate.
The trigger guard was, however, a study ; bits of fern and rushes were twisted round the triggers, which caught in
everything in the downward course ; but the safety bolt had done its work, and the
While I write there hangs above me an old and valued servant, a
cartridges were intact.
Greener gun with rebounding locks.
Nearly 100,000 shots have been fired out of that
gun ; had it, however, been with me on the hills that day, a different sequel might have
been told. I always considered hammer guns with rebounding locks required care, not
only in crossing fences and in covert, and from the liability to explode when dropped, but
from the tendency of the hammers to catch in buttonholes and watch-chains, as has
frequently happened to me.
Sportsmen have every reason to be thankful that science
has invented such a boon as hammerless guns with reliable safety bolts in my opinion
the safest and pleasantest guns any one can desire
provided gentlemen recognise the
fact that a cheap
gun on that principle is one of the most dangerous things out, and, when
they decide to go in for a hammerless gun, select a first-class gunmaker for the purpose."
Its three

'

For speed the self-acting Ejector gun is ahead of all magazine or repeating shot-guns, and not only can it be fixed more quickly, but it is free
from any liability to jam when rapidly manipulated, whilst the repeating
mechanism of shot-guns is more prone to "jam" than the mechanism of
a rifle, owing to the use of paper cartridge cases, turned down to various
lengths.

MODERN SHOT

120

THE BEST GUN.

GUNS.

THE QUESTION OF

PRICE.

possessing a hammerless gun with

which he can furnish himself,
hammerless
should
considers the price.
guns cost so much more
Why
than hammered guns ? and why should there be so great a difference in
the price of hammered breech-loaders ?
double-barrelled, central fire,
i2-gauge breech-loader, proved, and a complete, usable weapon, is sold
At that price it is at
wholesale, at the present time, at twenty shillings.

The

sportsman,

now decided upon

self-acting extractors, as the very best with

marketable commodity, and the tendency is downwards.

gun, 1 2-gauge, proved, a complete, usable weapon, is to be
Is the
62,
purchased at sixty guineas, and will not be sold for less.
the difference between the two, solely for the maker's name engraved
between the barrels ? If not, where is the difference to be seen ?
To decide this, let a best gun be described, and the details of its manufacture be somewhat minutely gone into.
The barrel is made of a splendid
In constructing a pair
quality of metal, costing a fabulous sum per ton.
of tubes 1 8 Ibs. will be used, and the metal will be worked at a red heat,
and from its multitudinous welds, as well as from its inherent quality, will
This 18 Ibs. of iron, by hand-labour, has to
gain strength, i.e., tenacity.
be reduced to three, and the superfluous metal must be removed just as
present

best

hammered

and when required, or the barrel

will

be worthless.

Through twenty-six

succeeding processes these tubes have to be handled, worked, and treated

with care, and may, after receiving every attention human skill can devise,
prove defective at the last moment, and instead of figuring as the best gun,
be relegated to the waste heap value 3d.
The workmen in every branch of the gun trade are divided into classes.
The careful workman, mindful not only of his work upon the gun, but
cognisant and careful in his treatment of the work of those who have gone
before him skilled, and able to do what is required and expected of him
is a ram avis, who can command a
A staff of such men must
high wage.
be procured if the best work possible is to be obtained ; and they must not
only be kept fully employed, but employed upon such work as they can
take an interest and pride in.
To produce a best gun, not only must
every man be able, but inclined, to do his best ; and above all, there must
be the guiding mind, intent upon the fashioning of a weapon to its ideal.
The best gun must be tried in various stages, and must pass in each
before proceeding to a
succeeding stage ; hence time as well as money is
its production.
The well-finished gun is one in which every
portion is accurately shaped, rightly placed, perfectly adjusted, and with
that "finish" which skill and
The elaborate
practice alone can give.

requisite to

ornamentation, either by engraving or otherwise, will not make a gun well

finished ; nor is such ornamentation of such use as finish.
A gun made
and finished in the best manner will stand more hard wear than any
ordinary gun, even if the principle upon which the commoner gun is

CRITICAL,

121

constructed be superior to that of the best gun. Common guns always give
way first in the small details a pin works loose or breaks, and as soon as it
is replaced in one place it gives way in another, whereas a best
gun, like
"
The One-Hoss Shay," breaks up altogether when it does go. If you want
to enjoy sport, have a best gun ; if you must shoot, and do not mind when,
take an ordinary gun ; it will fail you when you have a first-rate chance to
bag game, but the best gun is always good alike, and thirty seasons' hard
wear will leave it as good as new for all practical purposes.
:

HOW TO DETECT A

SPURIOUS GUN.

A man may be

a very good shot, and have used a gun from childhood,

This is somewhat repractically unable to appraise a gun.
markable, seeing the numerous instructions which have been published to
those about to purchase guns, and taking into consideration that the sport-

and yet be

ing newspapers have generally a

column open

to the discussion of this

very possibly arises from the wilful misrepresentation made in

advertisements, the bias with which most contributions respecting the
merits of guns seems to have been penned, and the increasing prevalence
of trade puffs.
Strange to say, those keen people inhabiting the United
States of America appear less able to discriminate between a good and a
bad gun than any civilised people.
No nation possesses better sportsmen
nor a greater number in proportion to its population, yet we find the Continental rubbish-factors exporting in great numbers such weapons to the
subject.

It

United States, that he cannot for shame offer for sale in his own country or
any British colony. The Boers are a race of sportsmen, but it is of no use
offering them rubbishing weapons at any price, and the author can hardly

American will sacrifice everything to cheapness.

There is certainly the fact that the American salesmen are without equal,
and have such powers of persuasion, that one is half inclined to believe
that the American rifle has never had its equal ; but even the ability of the
salesman could not overcome the repugnance of the buyer to the rattlebelieve that the astute

"
export guns,
trap designated by the Suhl or Liege maker as
providing
the would-be purchaser could or would discriminate between a serviceable
and an unserviceable weapon. In the United States there are two classes
3'

of guns made.
The machine-made trade gun, the sale of which is vigorThe better-class gun, made by some
ously pushed at every opportunity.
American-born or emigrant gunsmith, whose production is limited and
sales unimportant.
An American gun, at about three times the price
of the American machine-made gun, will be a superior weapon in every
to the machine-made gun, but be sure that it is of American make,
Of
imported -guns are sold as of any make, just as there is a demand.
imported guns there are three classes the real trade gun, rubbish ; the
legitimate trade gun ; English or foreign guns, made sound and well

way
for

MODERN SHOT

122

GUNS.

and give
by a responsible maker, who will put his own name upon them,
as good quality as the price given by the importer will allow ; the fine gun,
the bond fide production of an English maker of reputation, and imported
to special order, or for sale only by the special agent of the maker in
In America, however,
dealer.
question, or some honest and enterprising
In
dealers are very loth to keep in stock the fine guns of any maker.
in France, Germany, Austria,
the
on
Continent,
especially
England,
Russia, and Italy, where the sportsmen are more discriminating and
and
exacting, there is always a choice of twenty different grades of guns,
the sportsman can appraise the addiespecially in France and Germany
The Ameritional amount spent in bettering the quality of the weapon.
not
cannot
or
will
discriminate
colonial
and
sportsmen,
can,
very many
between the first and second classes, and are slow even to see the
difference between the second and third.
Now, nothing should be more
easy than to distinguish the good gun from rubbish ; the third from the
first

of the classes before referred

to.

costs 60 guineas might not be easily distinguished from

costs but 59; but in the "trade gun," the price of which

The gun which

one which
has been gradually

falling, and has now dropped to 20 shillings, the drop

of sixpence to gain which the importers will ransack the manufacturing
is missed as the nose from a man's face.
centres of Europe
Look at the appended illustration the cheapest gun is here depicted
it may be known
by having ist, all the parts which should be square and
which should be round,
as the barrels
flat, rounded ; 2nd, all the parts
a series of flats ; 3rd, hammers which are odd, and which stand when both
:

one were at full, and, when both are " down,"

on the nipple, but the other will not reach it; 4th, one lock
won't " speak," the other roars
5th, one striker sticks out and upwards,
the other is pitched as though the breast
not the head of the hammer
were to strike it ; 6th, the rib is not straight, and is very much more on
one barrel than on the other the barrels are neither straight nor round,
and are generally thicker on one side than the other ; yth, the extractor
has a crooked leg, and when the gun is opened, it sticks out as though
on closing the gun, its
pleased to escape from its ill-shaped recess
are at half-cock as though

one

rests

contortions are astonishing ; 8th, the barrels are bright inside, but it is not
the brightness of a silvered mirror, rather the brightness of a leaden bullet ;
the action body is barely touched
9th, there is no close fitting of any part
by the barrels, the holding-down bolt is a crooked article in a crooked
hole, the fore-end will drop from the gun when it is fired, or will want
"
" wide
all your strength to
get it off, and the
may be seen wherever
joint
two pieces come together; loth, the engraving is a series of ill-shapen,
deeply-cut furrows, cross-harrowed with meaningless scratches; nth, the
balance is bad, and the gun heavy ; 1 2th, the stock worse than that of an
"
army musket, having traces of file-teeth," and exhibiting that rough open
:

grain inseparable from spongy

wood, and which the

oily gloss

cannot hide

CRITICAL.

123

1 3th, the
butt-plate, an ornamental sporting or other design made of
stamped rubber.
Such is the "export gun." If

its

user survives ten

will

gun
fail

to

trally
will

go
or

short,
;

On

not.

the

shots,
trial

may

it

off; the striker is too

does not strike cen-

this

is

rectified

be found

that

the

then it
other

striker is too long, and, after the

gun has been fired, it will not

open

this is altered.

The main-

spring is so poor its elasticity has

departed, and miss-fires ensue ;

new mainspring

fitted

this

is

strong for the lock, which

is only of soft iron, so the tumbler
the
gives way ; steel tumbler fit

too

scear, being iron, has worn away

in only trying the lock, and fails
to keep lock at cock, so the gun

goes off unawares

lock-work fitted
:

complete new
hammer drops

triggers jam, and screws drop

out in an unaccountable manner.
off,

The gun is thoroughly overhauled,

kept a month at the smith's

is

at first shot barrels

drop asunder,
owing to having been soldered
with sal - ammoniac,
together
which, from its chemical action,
destroys barrels and solder. Thus
the cheap gun costs more in
repairs in one season than a good

gun would want in twenty, and

is a
standing annoyance to its
owner. The gun of slightly better
will look much the same,
but the locks- should be of steel,
and the action fitting better.
Twist barrels are a step higher,

class

and triggers pivoted in an iron

The "Export Gun."
"box" are higher still. Then come
grades with better fitting, and traces of some care having been used
putting the strikers in centrally, in getting the

hammers

in

to match, in having

MODERN SHOT

124

GUNS.

midway between the barrels. When Damascus barrels are used, the
up in price, and the weapon reaching a serviceable standard. Next,
the barrels are straight, the stock harder and more shapable, the lines cut
into the iron can be seen to follow some design
fugitive and inapproWith smoothly working locks, better
still a design.
priate, it may be, but
balanced guns, two iron Damascus barrels, usable pull off, and a wellthe rib

gun

is

action, we are rapidly approaching a grade that may be serviceable, if

not high-class. When, instead of a rubber-stamped butt or heelplate, we
have an ebonite or horn hand-chequered one, we have reached the first
We find in
grade of the artist workman, and not the turning-out machine.
the better grades a smoothness and flatness of the lock-plates that is easily
noticeable ; and, as the inside of the plate is square and flat too, the lock
Not
is cocked with an easy movement, and uniform increase of pressure.
only do the hammers match and stand alike, but nipples, triggers, _and
screws fit closely and tightly ; and in the still higher grades every pin will
be found to fit accurately, to have its slit running in a preconceived
fit

direction, and every part, when inspected, will be found to have had some
attention paid to it, to make it as perfect as the worker's idea of it had
In examining a fine gun, even if it be as heavy as that of the
determined.
"
" like a
"
trade gun," it will be found to handle
thing of life when comwill
the
rib
be found as
with
its
bottom
pared
"export" competitor;

accurately shaped, as small, and as carefully put on, as though that were the
which would receive every scrutiny ; and even the butt-plate screws
which to the well-glued heelplate are of very little service will be found to
be as well-shaped, slit, and accurately fitted as if the whole reputation of
the gun and its maker were staked upon those pins alone.
So must it be.

rib

Unless attention be given to every piece, no matter how seemingly unimportant, the gun is not well made, and may fail just where least expected.
From the first conception of the gun to the last stroke of the buffstick,
there must be paramount care in the choice and fashioning of the material,
and the right relation in size and position of every piece to each other and
to

all.

There is probably no gun without its faults of construction, but in a

gun of the first quality they should be known only to the maker, and such
as he cannot remedy nor others detect.
Then, just so much as is the talent of the maker superior or inferior to
that of his competitors, will his gun be superior or inferior to their productions.

The machine-made and

machine-finished gun may be distinguished,

2nd. The heads of the screws
will
filed off flush with lock-plates,
breech action, butt-plate, &c.
The slits of the screws lying at different
angles ; 3rd. Inequalities in barrels and rib ; 4th. The stock shaped like an
army musket. In hand-finished machine-made weapons many of these
irregularities will not be noticed, but as long as the gun is interchangeable,
ist,

"
"
by its rough metallic appearance;
be found to be rounded down, not

CRITICAL.

125

many niceties in construction and finish will have to be sacrificed. The

shaping and trueing of the barrel exteriorly and of the lay and evenness
of the top rib cannot be done by machinery so well as by hand, and
although machinery is an excellent aid to the gunmaker, by relieving his
skilled workmen in the removal of surplus metal, it can rarely be utilised in
" from the
fitting, and it is the endeavour to leave the various parts
machine " that results in so much bad work being found upon " interchange"
able guns. As a general rule, the further removed a machine-made gun, is
from interchangeability the greater its worth. All the machine-made guns
the author has seen, whether of English, American, or Continental make,
have such faults as to interfere with their utility, and cause them to be
ranked as weapons inferior to hand-made weapons at the same or even
less cost.

The

spurious gun may be either a gun represented as being of a qualityor as the production of a maker other than the real one.
After taking all into consideration, it is the first class which is the most
dangerous to the unwary buyer. The vapid platitudes of the salesman
spread a glamour over the transaction, and the sportsman purchases a gun
which will trouble him more and more as he gets to know it. Against the
purchase of this class of gun the sportsman must always be on his
it

is

not,

guard.

The second class of gun is simply a forgery. Belgian guns are sent to
"
England to be proved, or the English proof marks are imitated
English
"
fine twist
is engraved upon the rib, or any maker's name is put on to the
;

order of the importer.

Some makers do

not scruple to state in their lists that they will

"
made in London, or in Eibar, or
productions
in Brescia," or in any other town whose manufactures have a better
Never buy a gun without the maker's name
reputation than their own.

upon

put

upon

their

it.

their retailers now advertise, so that the exact

easily obtained; see that the gun bears this name,
and rightly spelled, for the change of a letter is often made, the maker of
the forgery thereby thinking that his liability is lessened, and foreign

All the leading

makers or

name of the maker wished is

make dreadful havoc with English names, whereas probably no

maker has ever turned out a gun wrongly or incorrectly named, so
far as his name goes.
As to the more general forgeries, they will be found
to be changes rung upon the name of a maker of reputation.
No one
would forge " Smith " or " Jones," and happy the gunmakers who possess
" Pursuch names
but names as "Greener" will be spelled " Greenen,"
"
W. C. Scott & Son" as "J. N. Scotts Son," whilst
dey" as "Purdy,"
forgers
careful

of the

imitations
in the
"
frequent, and all
alteration

"
the name is legion.
of " Westley Richards
or
the
Christian name, or the address is
initials,

The
more

Horace Greener," "Albert Greener," J. H., W. H., A. H.,

and other H. Greener guns are practically forgeries. From the affluent

MODERN SHOT

126

GUNS.

most of these dealers and getters up of spurious guns enjoy,

makers of reputation prefer to suffer than engage in what they know must
be a disagreeable and very probably a most disastrous prosecution. The
author believes that he alone has instituted criminal proceedings for this
the imprisonment of the offender. And
species of forgery the result being
although the method of procedure is distasteful and expensive, the author
the purchase of a forged
appeals to those who have been deluded into
Greener gun to communicate with him at once, in order that an effort may
be made to stop this nefarious trade.
In Great Britain, under the New Merchandise Marks Act, makers of
spurious guns may now be prosecuted, and the sooner the chief clauses
of this Act are made International law the better it will be for foreign
There can be no doubt but this Act will practically revosportsmen.
position

gun trade if its provisions are rigidly enforced, and as guns

are not generally manufactured in London, it will doubtless be the London
dealers who will first suffer, whilst the reputation of genuine Birmingham
lutionise the

and London made guns will be enhanced.

As no two persons are exactly alike, each person to be perfectly suited
with a gun will require something different to that which will suit any one
but as perfection can never be obtained, the nearest to it must be
else
This medium will be found nearer to perfection than to the
found.
" machine-made "
gun, which is designed as if all who are to use it were
made in one mould as is the weapon. The gun must "suit" the person
who is to use it in the following particulars weight, amount of choke, and
;

the shape of the stock.

Many sportsmen, and not a few good trap shots, sadly over-weight
The gun " put up "
themselves by making use of needlessly heavy guns.
at a mark for trial does not seem heavy, but after carrying it a few hours,
or sitting by the side of it for half a day in an open boat, or waiting about
the match ground any length of time, will cause fatigue, and the gun will
"
The
not be " put up as it was when the body had no such need of rest.
lighter the gun the longer the tired muscles retain control over its position ;
The
therefore, carry the lightest gun the nature of the sport will permit.
question of recoil is associated with that of weight ; with a light gun the
The recoil must ever
recoil is more appreciable than with a heavy one.
Heavier charges
be unpleasant with the standard charge for the gun.
may be used upon special occasions, but as these circumstances will be
To habitually use a charge
exceptional, it will not invalidate the rule.
which produces unpleasant recoil is most foolish, and as neither the gun
nor the shooter can long withstand the unnecessary strain, it will increase
the bag, and save money to reduce the charge.
The amount of choke necessary will be regulated both by the nature
of the sport for which the gun is chiefly intended and the skill of the
shooter.
A trap shooter placed at 24 yards must change his gun when
the handicapper puts him back to 28.
In deciding as to the amount of

CRITICAL.

27

choke required, it must be borne in mind that the pattern made at any
given distance does not fairly represent the position of the charge at any
The pellets of the charge issue from the muzzle as comgiven moment.
some go ahead, others
pactly as a ball, then having individual velocities
lag behind, so that, roughly speaking, there is a distance of twelve feet
between the first and last pellet when the bulk of the pellets arrive at 40
yards.

For trap shooting a gun is required to shoot as closely as possible at

The bird must be shot at quickly, and the nearer to the trap it
the trap.
is grassed the better.
Naturally, the pigeon-shooter requires as large a
He requires the
killing circle as is compatible with a close pattern.
"
"
to have the greatest
killing circle
pattern to be equally spread over the
velocity, and the pellets to keep together as much as possible ; but of
greater importance than all these, it is required that the gun always perform alike.
Uniformity in shooting is a quality only found in the best of
guns, and even cylinders, unless most carefully finished, will make occasional bad shots, any one of which would allow of the pigeon escaping.
Therefore, the gun must never shoot wildly, but be always good alike.
For ordinary sporting purposes a gun which shall give its largest killing
30 yards with the first barrel, and at 40 yards with the second,
will be found the most convenient for good shots.
Excellent shots may have the range extended ten yards, if possible, and
It is the ability of the
indifferent shots the range reduced ten yards.
shooter to aim the gun which will determine the amount of choke.
The

circle at

not " riddle" a partridge at twenty yards, but as the

spread of the shot at that distance will only be half that of the true killing
It is easier to correctly align
circle of the gun, a true aim must be taken.
a gun at twenty than at forty yards, and the indifferent shot, whose poor
The poor
shooting arises from inability to aim, should avoid long shots.
shot who misses from nervousness should try long shots.
A very little
practice will give much more knowledge on the subject of a suitable choke
than any number of instructions.
The shooting of a cylinder gun is so very poor that if the gun be
intended for use with shot it should have both barrels more or less choked.
The average pattern of a i2-bore cylinder is 120, and the idea of 120
The
pellets covering a thirty-six inch circle at 40 yards is too ludicrous.
distance between the first and last pellets is greater than in the choke,
whilst at the regulation distance the pattern is pretty equally distributed
over a four-foot target.
The writers of the Badminton Library advocate the use of the cylinder
gun, and emphasise the word good, "as no guns vary more than do
Now, a barrel is a cylinder or it is not a cylinder there is no
cylinders."
question of degree and the "Badminton cylinder," which makes "an
average of 130 pellets with evenness, regularity, and penetration," is not
it
cylinder at all
may be something in the guise of a cylinder. A cylinder,

fullest

choke-bore

will

MODERN SHOT

128

GUNS.

with standard charge, will make an average of 120.

says that "choke-bored guns generally are rapidly becoming
The Proof House returns prove the contrary to be the case.
"
are the
cannot " choke a

i2-gauge 30-inch,

"

Badminton"

unpopular."

There are some makers who

" certain makers
who, from the very

gun properly

first,

they

have pointed out the doubtful

advantages of full-choked guns for general shooting as applied to use in

The sportsman who requires a good shooting weapon will not
the field."
patronise these makers, for it has been proved again and again that the
choke-bore gun shoots closer, harder, and more uniformly than does the
It is a common fallacy that the cylinder is the best game gun ;
cylinder.
"
"
"
at the force gauge, the
pad," or the barn door," it is nowhere
plate," the

The old musket, costing

with the choke, but it is superior in the field.
ten shillings, and which only "goes off" once out of three times, has
nothing to recommend it when compared with the modern breech-loader,
save that "it is a good one to kill."
The author is willing to submit one of his full-choke guns to any test
which may be applied to it, if the owner of any cylinder gun thinks he can
devise any test which shall show the cylinder to be superior.

No sportsman will purchase a good gun without witnessing its performance at a plate, and he will reject a gun that with the same charge
and same powder does not make a uniform pattern. If three close
patterns are succeeded by one containing only half the number of pellets, the
gun is most probably badly bored but if the gun suits in every other
respect it will be worth while to continue the trial, as it may be that a
If it be the fault of
faulty cartridge has occasioned the poor pattern.
;

the gun,

it

will quickly recur.

sometimes advanced by the ignorant that the choke will wear

therefore buy a cylinder at once, as your choke may wear to one
It is
fallacious to suppose that the choke, if rightly shaped and a true choke
that is to say, is formed by boring the barrel, and not by recessing, conwill wear out.
The choke-bored
tracting, swaging, or other methods
gun will, more probably, improve in its shooting powers. In 1875 the
"
author's guns were submitted to a " wear and tear
trial by the manager
of the Field Gun Trial, which extended over seven weeks, during which
2,500 shots were fired without any deterioration.
The author made a gun for Dr. W. F. Carver to use in his exhibition
shooting, and upon trial of this gun after some 80,000 shots were fired
from it the shooting was found to have improved.
After 50,000 more
shots had been fired the gun showed no signs of wear at the choke, nor
had its shooting deteriorated.
In 1878 the author made a gun for the Schultze Gunpowder Company
for their factory tests.
This gun has had more than 80,000 shots fired
from it ; and as records of its performance have been kept, the average
of the choke-barrel for each year can be given.
It is quite certain that
no Belgian barrel could have kept its shooting unimpaired so long.
It

is

CRITICAL.

129

Those gunmakers who habitually use Belgian

denounce choke

barrels

bores.

Average of 1,000 shots per year

1878
1879
1880
i88(
1882
1883
1884
1885

Left barrel.

...

...

...

...

Right barrel.

175

184

202
208

196
206
201

207
2IO
214
224
239

...

...

195

...

...

194
196
201

These figures clearly prove that a choke will stand

and further that Schultze powder has no deleterious

all fair

effect

tear,

wear and

upon good

gun-barrels.-

The choke-bore gun has been

particularly successful in the hands of

and trap shots, and even its most bigoted opponents grant that
in the hands of a good shot its execution is wonderful.
The following accounts of experiences with choke-bores will show the
The few instances cited
range and utility of a good choke-bored gun.

both

field

must not be taken as extraordinary, but to quote many such in proof that
they are not rarities would be a gross imposition on the reader
"On the 23rd of October, 1886, I was after ducks with my 12-bore, 7|lbs. Greener
Hammerless, and made three shots worthy of remark. With the first shot, I brought
down two black ducks out of four, flying past (cross shot), at fully 75 yards the
second shot, I killed' a duck the size of a widgeon at 100 yards
and with the third I
knocked over a black duck at no yards. The two last were single birds."
:

The shot used in this case was chilled shot No. 2, there being only
The barrels of this gun are but 28 inches long.
138 pellets in the charge.
" The first shot I had was with the
29-inch barrels, and I killed four pelicans in four
I like the 31-inch
shots; not bad, considering two birds were all I could carry.
barrels best, I killed with them a splendid turkey, putting nine No. I shot in his head,
three in his neck, and five in his body."
.

This gun

is

also a moderately light i2-bore,

by the author.

"With your gun loaded with \\ oz. of No 5 shot no single duck is safe at 80 yard?.
have killed single teal at 80 and 90 yards, and on one occasion killed three times consecutively between 80 and 90 yards."
"With a full-choke Greener 12-gauge 81bs. I shot at three wild geese 76 yards off, and
'
I killed them all,
using No. 4 chilled shot. A native companion flew past. I killed it
This bird
stone dead at 70 yards, putting no less than eight shots in its head and neck.
weighed I7|lbs. On the same trip I shot at three single black swans at from 90 to 100
I killed a hare at over 90 yards with
yards, and in three successive shots got them all.
No. 4 shot."
"Mr. Cholmondeley-Pennell, who made the highest score, shot wonderfully well, at
30 yards from the trap, he killed all his birds with the first barrel. He used a full-choke
by Greener."
" Last
100 yards.'
fall I killed two Brent
geese, one with each barrel, distant over
"
With your gun I killed three wood pigeons, at over 70 yards' distance."
I

'

MODERN SHOT

130

GUNS.

And so might ever-varying instances of the great killing powers of the

choke-bore be cited. With large shot, its execution is still more marvellous.
Particulars of shooting with buck and large shot will be found in the
section dealing with the loading of cartridges, where instructions are given
as to the best method of obtaining the full killing power of any particular
gun.

ON THE

The

fit

of the

is

gun

determine whether he

will

FIT OF GUNS.

a truly personal matter.

The sportsman must
shoot with both eyes open, or one only; if

the former, he must ascertain which eye is the stronger, and aligns the
If the gun is fired from the right shoulder and aligned with the left
gun.
eye the aim will be faulty, and bad shooting naturally result.
Happily, the
great majority of persons naturally aim their weapon with the right eye,
If
hence, all shooting correctors, cross stocks, &c., are useless to them.
there is any doubt as to which eye directs the aim, it may be easily ascertained by proceeding as follows
Take a finger ring and hold it out at arm's length ; look through it with
both eyes open at some object twenty or more feet distant ; close the left
If the right eye still sees the object through the ring
which has not
eye.
been moved the right eye will align the gun, and the sportsman may with
every advantage dispense with all correcting impedimenta, and shoot with
both eyes open.
If the left eye
being the stronger aligns the gun, the
sportsman must shut it, or shoot from the left shoulder ; or have a particularly constructed stock which shall enable him to aim with the left eye
whilst shooting from the right shoulder.
Providing the sportsman be one of the minority, he should write fully
to an experienced gunmaker or the nearest practical gun dealer, and
If the
arrange for the building of a special gun, to meet his special need.
sportsman be one of the majority, he may choose a gun that will fit by the
:

method
Take a gun and put

following

it

up

to the shoulder

two or three times without

aiming at anything in particular ; if it seems to come up easily, and to

be under perfect control, choose a mark ten or fifteen feet distant, and
slightly higher than the aimer's shoulder.
Bring up the gun quickly, whilst
looking at the mark, then glance at once down the rib, and see if the sight
covers the object aimed at.
Repeat this two or three times, and if each
time the gun be found to be exactly upon the mark, try it at marks at
different elevations
if it still covers the
objects aimed at, it is a "fit," and
a little practice will make the shooter feel quite at home with the weapon.
To obtain a gun that will suit as well as that one, the gun may be sent to
the gunmaker as a model, or the measurement must be taken according
;

to the instructions given

The

on page

object of the cast-off

is

44.
to bring the

mean

centre of the barrels in

CRITICAL.

a line with the shooter's eye, without having to press the cheek hard against
the stock.
Too much cast-off is a great mistake. The same object can be gained
by having a more crooked stock. The balance is an important point to be
in ordering one gun to be built like another. The gun should
be balanced with a piece of thin twine, and the distance measured to the
string from the breech ends of the barrels.

remembered

The sportsman who orders after inspecting a large stock of weapons has
an advantage over the sportsman who, at a great distance from any gun
depot, has only a gun which does not suit him, and who wishes to order
one that will. Sportsmen so fixed must read attentively the following
remarks, and see in which particulars their gun fails.
In choosing a gun from the stock of any good maker or practised gunHe will have the advice
seller, the sportsman will find many advantages.
and assistance of an experienced man to guide him in fitting himself with a
suitable weapon, and he will find an assortment of good weapons from
which he may safely choose.
In taking up an ordinary good gun he will notice at once that the
weight lies between the two hands ; that it balances well; if tested it will be
found to balance within 3 inches of the breech. It is easy to make a gun
balance by loading the butt, but this clumsy expedient does not make a
well-balanced weapon of it, for the weight being at both extremities, instead
of between the hands, it will be found to answer better as a balancing-pole
for immature Blondins than as a sportsman's weapon.
The good gun when placed on end will be found to stand upright, or

The shape of the heel has much to do with the fit of the gun ;
nearly so.
too much heel prevents the gun being brought readily to the shoulder, and
causes it to shoot lower than a gun with a full toe.
The butt-plate will not be very much rounded, and will slope in a little
to fit the shoulder
that is to say, measured to the edge of the heel-plate,
the stock will be very slightly longer on the off than on the near side.
The heel-plate will be roughed to prevent it moving when held against the
shoulder.
There will be room between the two triggers for the thickest
finger, and both triggers will be so placed as to be readily reached by the
trigger finger ; the hand will be tapered from the head to the extremity of
the grip, to prevent injury to the second finger by the guard as the gun.
recoils.
Bruises of this kind are most unpleasant, and far too frequent.
The fore-end will be high, narrow, and about seven and a half inches in
length.

The grip small.

many gun-shops

will be found a dummy gun, which may be

adjusted to any length, bend or cast off, and which greatly aids in quickly
The sportsman may not, although a first-rate
fitting a person with a gun.
The gun should be
shot, hold or bring up the gun to the best advantage.
grasped with the left hand as well forward as convenient ; and in trap
shooting it is held well up and the butt brought up to the requisite elevation.

In

J 2

MODERN SHOT

132

GUNS.

In ordinary shooting it must also be got well forward, and the gun thrown
from the shooter and brought against the shooter ; immediately it
touches the aim should be correct, and the trigger pulled.
A long stock is held more firmly to the shoulder than a short one, and
the shock of the recoil is thereby lessened ; if too long, the gun requires
more time to be brought into position, and shots may be lost on this
slightly

account.

The
taken,

pistol grip enables

and usually the gun

a firmer and more comfortable grasp being

is more tightly pressed against the shoulder

with this pattern stock.

Americans and English colonists generally make use of very crooked

stocks ; the English and Continental sportsman prefer straight stocks.
If used to shooting with the body and gun at right angles, and
without bending the neck, a well-bent stock will be found advantageous.
There is no necessity for Englishmen to use such straight stocks as they
do, but so long as they shoot in the usual English style, with the shoulder
well forward, and the neck bent, a straight stock will seem more convenient.
All these points in the measure of the gun must have attention if the
It is apparent that any
sportsman is to be suited as he should be.
machine-made gun will never allow of the weapon being adapted to the
shooter.
The sportsman must accommodate himself to a poor specimen
of the sporting gun, an ill-balanced thing too often, and always inferior to a
best hand-made gun. From the use of it he will not probably derive much
comfort.
The idea of a machine-made sporting gun is crude ; it is as if all
the world could make comfortable use of sabots specially designed for
Australian aborigines.

The

following short resume of the points to be looked for in a

be of service

gun

will

The gun must be of weight and calibre proportionate to the strength of

the user.
The amount of choke will depend upon the purpose for which
the weapon is intended and the skill of the user.
The gun will be centralfire, with a simple mechanism of breech-loading, the lever being upon the
top.

If hammerless, the gun will be more expensive, and a perfectly simple

lock and cocking mechanism will be demanded.
For pigeon shooting, for wild fowling, for all light guns, for all guns with
extra long chambers, the Greener cross-bolt will be made a sine qua non.
The barrels will be of best twist, or " sterling," steel, the figure regular,
small, and light in colour ; the breech-ends heavy and stout to the end of
the fore-end ; they will be polished as a mirror, inside and out, and will
have a transparent, rich colour upon their exterior.
They will bear the
English proof-marks. The length of the chamber will be that usually employed for cases readily obtainable.
The breech-action will work smoothly, and require no extra pressure at

CRITICAL.

133

any point of its travel. The locks will be front-action, and so constructed
as to permit of hammers being below the line of sight when at cock, and
the mainspring so shaped as to cut but little into the breech-action body.
The fences will be elegantly shaped, and a true pair. The strikers will be
without springs.

The hammers will be small,

pull-off will be light and free.
and have a long travel the triggers broad and widely spaced
the stock in dry wood, straight-grained at the grip, curly and deeply veined
on the butt ; the comb round ; the butt-plate broad and deep and
The

elegant,

roughened; the fore-end easily detachable.

The following will be absolutely refused
Guns of intricate mechanism,
cheap light guns, cheap hammerless guns, all guns of which a trial is
"
London fine
refused, all guns not bearing a proof mark, all guns marked
fictitious
all
named
with
a
dead
or
or
name,
twist,"
guns in which the
:

barrels slide forward, or turn over, or move on a vertical axis for loading,
guns worked by means of a lever under the fore-end, pin-fire guns, guns

all

having sham barrels, hammerless guns with more than two safeties, guns
having barrels brazed from end to end, or soldered together with sal
ammoniac, guns with crooked barrels, dented barrels, crooked ribs, or ribs
more on one than on two barrels, guns which never fire, or spit at the
The following
breech when fired, guns with stamped vulcanite heel-plates.
will depend upon the fancy of the purchaser
:

The

or grooved, and whether plain or deadened by

engine-turning, file cutting, or engraving.
The amount and style of the engraving.
Whether pistol hand, or straight hand, or half-pistol hand.
Whether without butt-plate, and the butt chequered; whether with
tips-and-ends, or a horn chequered butt-plate, or a metal butt-plate.
Whether or not furnished with cheek-piece, swivels for sling, and
rib,

whether

escutchepn for

flat

monogram

or crest.

COMBINED GUNS.
Shot guns can be fitted with rifle barrels, but, as a rifle, the weapon
must be heavier than it would be if it were constructed for a rifle simply.
The guns may have extra barrels ; but the barrels should be of the
same bore, and without great difference in weight. Guns built as ic-bores,
and fitted with extra i2-bore, barrels cannot be recommended, neither can
such makeshifts as detachable choke-bored muzzles, and Morris or other
tubes for converting shot guns into

rifles.

SECTION

VII.

HOW TO

PRACTICAL.

USE THE GUN.

IT will be perhaps as well to state at once that it is not the writer's intenbook to give any hints as to the art of shooting. The use of
the gun is to comprehend the handling and care of the weapon
nothing
more.
tion in this

The rudimentary directions generally given by all would-be instructors

of young sportsmen are hardly necessary in this small work, but the author
cannot but reiterate the caution " Never point a gun at any one," and
reiterate also the hope he has so often expressed that the pointing of a gun
at any person shall in itself constitute a legal misdemeanour.
The gunmaker's motto, " Make all sure," is the best sportsmen can
Have a care as to the direction of the muzzle always. Carry the
adopt.
gun loaded, and at full cock, and if it be a hammerless gun, with the
"
"
In getting over a fence, creeping through a gap, or jumping
off.
safety
a dyke, put the hammerless gun to "safe," or unload the hammer gun.
It
is tiring to carry, even the
The method
lightest gun, long in one position.
of carrying may therefore be varied
over the shoulder, across the breast,
or muzzle down, as the nature of the ground or position of shooters may
determine, but in changing the position of the gun take care that the
muzzles do not cover any one.
In pigeon shooting the rules enforce the loading of the gun when the
shooter is at the mark.
Ordinarily the gun is taken from the rack or given
to the shooter by an assistant.
As soon as fired the empty shells are withdrawn, and the gun returned to the rack.
safety is of no use whatever
on a gun to be used solely for pigeon shooting, and its presence may lead

to great annoyance.

The

shore shooter

may often exercise greater liberty as to the

shall carry his gun on his solitary rambles, than can
mitted in the field ; but he must never be careless.
In shooting
in

which he

sailing boat the gun,

hand upon

When

when loaded, should never be without

manner
be perfrom a

the sportsman's

it.

method of shooting usually called ''walking in line" is

the sportsman must carry his gun with the muzzle up.
In
partridge driving the sportsman has often a pair of guns, one of which will
be always in his hands, the other in that of the loader. The adjoined
illustration, which is reproduced from Shooting, by kind permission of the
practised,

that

PRACTICAL.

135

publishers of the Badminton Library, shows the position of loader and

firer, and further exhibits to the sportsman a gun in the correct position
for firing.

When a loader is employed he should be instructed to load the gun

with the muzzle directed to the ground, and he must bring up the stock of
the gun to the barrels when the cartridges are in, so that if by any accident
the gun should go off the shot will bury itself harmlessly.

Shooter and Loader.

More breech-loaders get shaky in the action by being worked carelessly

The barrels of a
than from repeated firing or the use of heavy charges.
breech-loader should never be jerked down, nor should they be thrown
back into position with a snap. The proper manner in which to load a
gun is to drop the stock under the elbow, and press it firmly against the
hip or the body, unfasten the lever with the right hand, and with the left
grasping the barrels a few inches in front of the fore-end, lower their
Close the gun in a careful manner after fitting in the cartridges,
easily.
bringing the stock up to the barrels.
Guns must be taken care of; they will then last many seasons, and give
When not in use they should be stored in a dry cupevery satisfaction.
The gun must
board, either on a rack or in their travelling cases.

MODERN SHOT

136
not

be put

away

pulling the trigger,

at full

cock; but

if

at

"

full

cock

and such
the gun is

"
;

GUNS.

the tumblers

may be lowered by

better than allowing them to remain

laid by whilst together, two used cartridge

is

may be put in the chambers, and

may be lowered by pulling the

the locks snapped

the
this cannot be done with guns fitted with automatic
which are not cocked
trigger-holding safeties, nor with hammerless guns
by the dropping of the barrels. The gun before being put together or
used, should be wiped free from dust ; nothing tends more to clog the
cases, well greased,

tumblers
barrels are open, but
off; or the

triggers whilst

breech mechanism.
Having put the gun together, it should be opened
and shut several times, and any stiffness or clogginess will at once be
If the gun is a snap action the lever should be carried quite
noticed.
home as the gun is closed. Dirt often finds its way underneath the extractor,
and this even in a most minute quantity will frequently occasion stiffness in
Oil and dust, and
working, or very possibly prevent the gun from closing.
sometimes a little rust, will be found in the bottom holding-down bolt
The gun must never be forced open, or
this causes the gun to work stiffly.
If the gun does not open/ree/y, it should be
unusual force used to close it.
in time saves nine, it
carefully examined, and on the principle that a stitch
may be cleaned thoroughly, providing the cause of the stiffness is not
In putting a gun together, providing
found, and the obstruction removed.
all the parts are clean, no stiffness will be noticed and no force requisite.
In case of a deadlock in putting in the barrel, do not attempt to force the
barrels in, but search for the cause.
Probably, if a hammerless gun, it will
;

hammer

gun, possibly the strikers are projecting

freely, so that the extractor drops upon
them and prevents the barrels going home. The keeping of the gun clean,
and the mechanism free from grit, will ensure immunity from the annoyance of a " jam " in the field.
In case of the sticking together of parts
that should work freely
such as the strikers jamming in the breech-action,
the extractor clogging in the barrels, or bolts or any parts becoming fast
with rust there is nothing so good as an application of petroleum
repeated applications, and the exercise of patience, will not fail to loosen
the " cement," and make even the rustiest pin amenable to the persuasion
of a hand turnscrew.
Having the gun together, and working freely, it will
It must not be let fall heavily on its butt
require to be used carefully.
plate; it must not be pushed underneath the seat of the dog-cart or
waggonette, and left to take its chance ; it should not be left muzzle-up or
muzzle-down against a wall, a gate, or a tree. It should not be used as a
From a critical examination of many
crutch, an alpenstock, or crowbar.
gins returned to the author, after very little wear, he fancies they must at
times be utilised for very different purposes to those for which their makers
intended them. To speak more plainly, some guns are abominably abused.
Most often those men who make such ill-use of their guns are the loudest
in their complaints if
any part gives way. i
gun of good quality is a
require cocking;
through the face,

if

and do not work

PRACTICAL.

137

the strain it has to withstand at

finely constructed piece of mechanism
each discharge has been ascertained to average 40,000 Ibs. Many guns are
fired from ten to twelve thousand times in one season, and will last, with
The guns which in reality have
ordinary care, fifteen or twenty seasons.
are usually cared for best.
the least wear pigeon guns
Certainly the
pigeon gun has to stand heavier charges than are employed for game
shooting, but the number of shots fired will bear no comparison to that
used by an enthusiastic English sportsman in one season's game shooting.
\

The more expensive

the weapon the more perfectly fitting are the

shooters seem to think that because a gun costs ^30 it will
The contrary is the case ; a badly
withstand any amount of ill-usage.
fitted, heavy, cheap gun, will make a better crowbar, but it will certainly
break down before it has been fired a thousand times, and may burst at
the first shot.
Without advocating the laying-by of guns, or treasuring them as works
of art " too good to be used," they may be cared for intelligently
kept
clean and dry, the working parts lubricated occasionally, and shot as often
parts.

Many

as possible.

In most hammerless guns, if the cover plate underneath the breech

is taken off, the locks may be inspected, oiled, and any rust, or
clogged oil and dust, removed from the bent.
If practicable, have a good gun examined each summer by its maker or

action body

a practical gunsmith.
Never send a good gun to an advertising jobster, who is prone to stick
his name upon your gun, under the pretence he has improved its shooting.
To have a gun " choke-bored-," or to have it converted into a cylinder,
always send to the maker or a first-class gunsmith, and do not be persuaded
to let any jobbing man tamper with your gun-barrels under any pretence.
In sending a gun for repairs send the whole gun.
If shooting requires
to be regulated, choke-boring removed, chambers altered, it is absolutely
necessary that the workman has the whole of the gun if justice is to be
done to the work, and for the trifle additional in cost of freight it is always
best to send the gun complete.
Other sportsmen like to take their guns all to pieces and re-arrange the
This is not requisite, and does not in any way add to the efficiency
parts.
of the arm.
The gunmaker is the proper person to take apart the locks,
or strip the breech-action ; if there is not a practical man within easy reach
the sportsman must, of course, himself endeavour to effect any repairs, but
it is not advisable to interfere with
any gun that functions properly, nor to

practise

To

upon any gun

that works satisfactorily.

If the gun be wet, it should be

clean a gun after a day's shooting.
wiped dry at once> but the cleaning of the barrels and breech-action may be
left until the sportsman or his servant has time to do it properly.
To clean the barrels. Use the cleaning-rod, with tow and oil, or
To remove the fouling, put muzzles on the floor, and push
turpentine.

MODERN SHOT

138

GUNS.

to within an inch of the muzzle, and draw up to the chamber.

Use the bristle
two or three times, then push right through.
brush, or the rod with plenty of flannel ; finish with the mop soaked in
refined neatsfoot, pure Arctic sperm oil, or vaseline.
Never half-clean the barrels ; always wipe them dry and clean before
the mop used for oiling into a toul barrel.
finally oiling, and do not put
Always wipe the bed, face, and joint of the breech-action with an oily rag
A little linseed oil may be rubbed over the stock occasionally.
or flannel.

the rod

Do

free

down

this

Before putting the gun together ascertain that all the bearing parts are
from dust or grit.
The joint may be lubricated with a mixture of half best Russian tallow

and half petroleum.

hammerless guns, the holding-down and top
have a tendency to clog, may be touched
with a feather dipped in petroleum.
They must be lubricated, whenever
they require it, with chronometer oil, Rangoon oil, or finest neatsfoot.
Rusty or tight breeches in muzzle-loading barrels may often be turned
out, providing the breech-ends of the barrels have been soaked in
petroleum.
Very obstinate breeches may require to be well heated, as well
as lubricated, before they can be turned out, but usually petroleum will be
found a sufficient remedy for incipient rust of the working parts. All the
parts of the mechanism may be cleaned with petroleum ; it removes clogged
vegetable and animal oils well. Turpentine, often used successfully to clean
the residue from gun-barrels, will give great trouble if it get into the finefitting parts of the mechanism of the breech-action and locks, and must
therefore be used with care.
To remove leading from barrels, roll a little quicksilver up and down

The

bolts,

cocking-lifters of

and the

triggers, if they

the barrel.

To remove rust from inside or outside of a barrel, procure a tub, and

with a kettle of boiling water well scald the barrels inside and out, wipe
It is as well to do this before
perfectly dry with flannel, and then oil.
putting the gun aside for any length of time.
When laying a gun by, or packing it for a long journey by sea, after
having well dried the barrels, oil inside and out with a heavy-bodied oil or
melted tallow, free from salt or acid stop the barrels with oiled corks or
Smear the breech-action and metal
wads, or put in baize-covered sticks.
furniture with grease.
:

STRIPPING

AND REPAIRING GUNS.

To take to pieces a breech-loader for cleaning or repairs, first remove

the fore-end and barrels ; then, with a strong hand turnscrew, turn out the
side-pins, and remove the locks and hammers together ; next turn out the
guard-pins, and remove the bow or guard ; another pin will then be seen
in the rear end of the
trigger-plate; remove this pin (occasionally this

PRACTICAL.

139

"

"

hand-pin is placed in the reverse way, the head of this pin will then be
found on the top of the grip in the tang of a long break-off). The
"
should next be partly turned out; this pin fastens the fore
"furniture-pin
part of the trigger-plate to the body of the breech-action, and is easily
"
"
distinguished. Next remove the
upon the top of the tang of
breech-pin
the break-off; in top-lever action guns the breech-pin is covered by the
lever, which must be held on one side whilst the pin is being turned out.

Rarely a false pin is screwed into the lever, which, when removed, will leave
an aperture through which the breech-pin must be extracted. After having
removed the furniture-pins, the trigger-plate and triggers may be taken
from the stock, after which the breech-action may be removed entire.

To strip breech-actions, if the action is a treble wedge-fast or ordinary

top-lever double-bolt action, the first thing will be to remove the spring.
To do this, first partly turn out the lever spring pin (under tang of breakand with a pair of pliers or pincers take hold of the spring and
It will
it, and lift the
spring towards the head of the pin.
from its bearing, and may be removed by completely turning
out the spring pin.
(This does not apply to spiral springs.) Next proceed
to turn out the pin or pins connecting the tumbler with the bottom bolt,
and remove the bolt by drawing straight out backwards. Next turn out
the lever pin on top of lever, and by means of a small wire punch inserted
in the lever pin-hole, knock out the tumbler.
The lever may then be
removed, and the top bolt, if any, will fall out. In side-lever guns first
knock out the pivot on which the lever works, then remove spring and bolt.
Snap guns with lever under-guard may be stripped in much the same
manner, but the spring and lever are fixed to the trigger-plate, and the
Owing to the
spring must be removed before knocking out the pivot-pin.
numerous complicated breech-actions that are made, we are unable to say
that the above directions will be sufficient to enable an amateur to strip his
gun but we trust they will be explicit enough as regarding guns of our
own make. There are many breech-actions made that puzzle expert gunsmiths to take apart and repair, and it would be foolish for an amateur to
attempt to take them apart if a gunmaker is within reasonable distance.
To strip a muzzle-loader, first remove the lock, then the barrels, then
proceed to remove the furniture and break-off, as already described for
In military rifles, the bands fastening the barrel to the
breech-loaders.
stock must be loosened by a screw underneath, and then removed by
off),

slightly grip
then be free

Horn heel-plates are usually glued

slipping over muzzle of barrel.
(Note.
to the stock, as well as being fastened by the screws.)

To strip a gun-lock, first remove the mainspring. This may be

accomplished with a pair of lock vices, or a cramp may be made by filing
a notch or slot in a narrow strip of TSF iron or steel, the size of the breadth
of mainspring when at full cock.
Having cocked the lock, slip the cramp
up the mainspring until it catches, then release the scear and push down
the tumbler.
The spring being firmly held in the cramp, it may be

MODERN SHOT

140

GUNS.

unhooked from the swivel and removed from the

the bridle-pins and remove the bridle.

lock-plate

then unscrew

may then be lifted off if the tumbler is not in bent. The scear
then be at liberty, and may be removed by turning out the pin.
Now the hammer should be removed ; the tumbler-pin is first turned out,
and by means of a wire punch inserted in the hole, the tumbler is knocked
away from both hammers and lock -plate. If a hammer fits well, it will be
impossible to remove it in any other way without injury either to the
hammer or the lock. The spring must not be taken out of the cramp ;
In putting a lock
it requires no cleaning except at the claw or hook.
scear
then
on
the
the
then place on
first
screw
spring,
tumbler,
together,
the scears and cramp the spring with a pair of pliers or tongs, place the
Then affix the bridle, and screw it to the lock-plate.
tumbler into half-bent.
Take the mainspring, ready cramped, hook on to the swivel in tumbler,
place the stud in the hole drilled for it in the lock-plate, raise the tumbler
to full bent, squeeze the mainspring down close to the plate, and remove
the cramp ; the lock will be ready then for affixing the hammer, which
should be knocked on after placing the lock firmly on a solid block to
To take apart the lock-work of the
prevent the bridle from breaking.
The

scear

spring will

Anson and Deeley Hammerless Gun, proceed as follows

Having removed the barrels, snap down the hammers or tumblers,
remove the cover-plate from bottom of breech-action body knock out
:

with a wire punch, from the right side, the scear pivot, or the one nearest
the stock, and remove the scears ; knock out the dog-pin, or the one nearest
the fore-end joint, and remove the cocking levers ; partly screw on the coverplate, and carefully knock out the centre-pivot or tumbler-pin, remove the
cover-plate, and the tumblers and mainsprings will drop out upon the
breech-action being reversed.
The scear springs lie along the bottom of
To put the lockaction, and may be removed after turning out the pins.
work together, first place the mainspring in the bend of the tumbler,
with the stud of mainspring bearing in its proper slot, and its other extremity bearing against the under side of the nose of the tumbler ; the
tumbler and spring having been placed in the slot must be forced into
position with a cramp, or piece of notched wood ; knock in the tumblerpivot half-way, insert the other tumbler and spring in the same manner, and
knock the wire pivot right through the lifting dogs, and scears must then
be put in, and the whole covered with the cover-plate.
The " Greener "

hammerless guns, which have similar tumblers and scears and mainsprings,
may be taken to pieces in the same way, but there are no dogs or lifters
to be removed.
Illustrations and descriptions of all the parts of the locks
mentioned here will be found on page 38.
In putting guns together, proceed in the reverse order to that described
for taking apart.

The

best

beyond the

methods

for

temporarily repairing

limits of civilisation will

now be

detailed

guns when hunting

but in cases where

PRACTICAL.

141

advisable to send the gun to a practical gunsmith for all

of foreign and colonial dealers is appended, and the repairs
done by them may be relied upon. The following extra parts of a gun
should always be taken when out hunting, or exploring in wild countries
Extra pair of lock mainsprings, extra hammers or tumblers, pair of extra
scears, pair of extra nipples and strikers, extra side-pin, extra action or
It is possible that the lever-spring may break, but it will not
lever-springs.
in any way affect the utility or safety of the arm, only the lever will
have to be moved home when the gun is closed, instead of it snapping
The strikers of ordinary guns will become useless after continued
there.
wear, owing to the hardened hammer flattening the head of the striker, and
so shortening its travel as to make miss-fires of frequent occurrence.
The
nipple must then be turned out with a key or a pair of pliers, and a new
In hammerless guns the tumbler and striker being
spare striker inserted.
in one, and the point itself striking against the soft copper-cap of the cartridge, this flattening does not occur, the strikers being of the best mild steel
carefully hardened and tempered, and so well made that breakages are of
have had one gun fired over 10,000 shots withvery rare occurrence.
out the tumbler being any the worse for wear or rust.
Perhaps the most
usual accident to a sportsman will be the denting, or the bulging of the
barrels.
When a bruise is discovered, DO NOT IN ANY CASE SHOOT out of
the gun until the barrels have been repaired, if the bruise is a bad one ;
for firing out of a badly bruised barrel invariably causes the barrel to bulge
To remove a dent, the following is the
considerably at the bruised part.
readiest expedient
Having removed the barrel from the action or stock,
insert in the barrel at the breech-end a solid leaden plug or bullet, as near
the size of the barrel as possible, place the barrels on a solid block with a
stout ramrod or stick in the barrel, reaching within a few inches of the
chamber, then proceed to flatten out the plug or bullet by striking it with
another rod and a hammer ; the bullet being prevented from slipping down
the barrel by the ramrod underneath, it will expand until it perfectly fits
the barrel; then proceed to force the plug
having first lubricated it
towards, and gradually past the bruise, turn the plug half round in the
The barrel should
barrel, and repeat the process until the bruise is raised.
be warmed during the process by applying a hot iron to the outside of the
bruised part.
Great care will have to be taken not to get the plug jammed
in the barrel.
If a taper lead plug can be obtained, the process will be
greatly simplified, and a slightly taper iron or brass plug is much better
than a soft lead one.
If the barrel is bulged a similar plug should be
made, and great care will have to be taken to hammer the bruise down to
the plug with a light hammer.
If a hard metal plug can be obtained near
the required size, it may be packed with paper until of the required
diameter.
The plug must be slightly longer than the bruise or dent.
Another frequent accident in wild countries is the breaking of the gunstock.
First glue
This may be securely spliced in the following manner
possible,

repairs.

it

is

list

We

MODERN SHOT

142

GUNS.

the stock as well as possible, then glue round the fracture a piece of thin
leather or canvas, and whilst warm tightly bind with waxed thread or a fine
The
lace ; when the whole is dry it will be almost as sound as before.

wood should be warmed

before gluing, to enhance the chances of perfect

success.

Repairs to breech-actions require great care and experience in effecting,

and always when practicable the gun should be sent to the maker, as he
To tighten a
has more interest in properly repairing it than any one else.
breech-action, the usual way is to fit a new hinge-pin slightly larger than
the old one, or by filing from the flats beneath the barrels, and hammering up the bites on the lump, which process brings the breech-ends of
When the cartridge
barrels nearer to the face of the standing-breech.
bursts at the rim at the upper edge of the case, it is a sure sign that the

gun requires

to be tightened up.

ALTERING GUNS.

Guns cannot be converted from hammer

to

hammerless upon any

they cannot be made self-ejecting on the Needham or

Greener principle, and with the exception of converting non-rebounding
locks to the rebounding principle, it is doubtful if any conversions pay
for the cost.

good

reliable

system

CARTRIDGE LOADING.
It

may be of advantage to repeat here the information given more

fully

in the various technical portions of this treatise respecting the loads with
which guns may be charged to best advantage. The standard charges for

the guns of different gauges will be found detailed on page 57, and
provided that No. 4 Pigou, Wilks, and Laurence's powder is used, these
loads cannot be beaten for general purposes.
These loads may, however,
be varied for certain purposes, and a reference to the fac-similes of Killing
Circles in SECTION V. will show the purpose of certain variations.
Sportsmen must, however, remember that for closeness of shooting the
Schultze gunpowder is without an equal in guns of ordinary calibre, and in
which paper cases are used. In guns of 8 and 4-gauge, as also in lo-bores,
when used with brass cases the superiority is not so marked. In brass case
guns that is, guns bored and chambered especially for Kynoch's thin brass
cases
which guns have little or no chamber cone, no nitro-compound will
shoot closer than black gunpowder, and for use in such guns, as well as in
cylinder guns, unless the smokeless quality of the nitro-compound is
deemed an advantage, it would be better to use black gunpowder of
No. 4 grain.
The size of shot to be used must to some degree be
regulated by the bore of the gun, as well as by the size of the game
at which the charge is to be fired.
The 28-bore gun will do relatively
better with 8 or 7 than with 6 or 5, and with a 4-bore
gun anything smaller
than No. 3 is wasted.

PRACTICAL.

143

Modified choke-bores and cylinders give a larger killing circle the

28-bores will kill ordinary winged game at 40 yards with
;
No. 8, and 20 , 16, and 1 2-bore cylinder barrels may be used at the
ordinary winged game of Great Britain with greater success if charged with
No. 7 than with 5 or 6. In 1 2-bore guns it is not wise to load with larger
shot than No. 4, unless the gun has been regulated for use with a certain
For zo-bores No. i size is the limit. These remarks
size of large shot.
must not be construed to mean that the 1 2-bore game gun must always be
used with one size of shot ; for quail and young partridge shooting No. 7
may be employed to advantage, and for shore shooting even larger sizes than
No. 4 but the sportsman must remember that when he uses the large
shot he is sacrificing closeness of shooting for the extra benefit he obtains
from the increased range and smashing power of the large shot. Cartridges
loaded with nitro-compounds must be well turned down.
Good close shooting in guns of any bore can only be obtained by using
cartridges loaded rationally, and to be rationally loaded there must be good
wadding between the powder and the shot. The secret of good shooting
is in the employment of a first-class felt wad over the powder
and it is
imperative that this wad be of good quality. The texture must be close and
firm, but the relative hardness or softness of the wad is of less moment
It should be of the same diameter as the internal diameter of the cartridge
case in which it is to be used.
To protect the powder from the injurious
effect which may result from continuous contact with the chemically prepared felt wad, a thin card wad or a waterproof wad should first be
inserted; and it is supposed to be conducive to closer shooting if this
protective wad, instead of being a simple card wad, be a compound paper
and felt wad technically known as the " pink-edged " or " FIELD " wad.
"
This " Field
wad should always be used when loading with nitro-compounds ; with black powders its use is not so imperative. It is customary
to place a third wad, of thin card, between the powder and shot, but it is
very doubtful if any benefit will accrue from its use.
The cartridge loaded for close shooting will therefore be charged as in
smaller the shot

this illustration.

Cartridge loaded for Close Shooting with Black Powder.

Loading with two pink-edge wads over the powder, and one pink edge

MODERN SHOT

144

wad over

the shot, as

to scatter,

gun

fully

is

often

and such loading

done
will

in the

GUNS.

United

States, causes the charge

10 per cent, in a

lower the pattern

choke-bored.

'

with a
Cartridge loaded for Close Shooting

Wood Gunpowder.

If charged with "Schultze" or "E.C." gunpowder, the wads used will

"
be the pink-edged or
Field/' the thick felt and the thin card as shown.

Brass Cartridge Case

Wadded

for

Close Shooting.

cases are to be loaded for close shooting, put the wads,

between the powder and shot, and crimp the case.
load choke-bore guns so as to scatter the shot at close quarters has

If brass

as illustrated,

To

Cartridge loaded to scatter the Shot.

The rule is to diminish the

always been a difficult matter to accomplish.
thickness of wadding between the powder and shot, and increase it over
the shot.
This is pretty effective, but the best plan is to load as illustrated.
The charge of shot, it will be seen, is separated by two cardboard wads.
This will cause a full-choke-bore gun to make a pattern of 140 at 40 yards
instead of 220.
still smaller pattern may be obtained
by using one ounce of
shot instead of the ounce and eighth, and still further by substituting No. 5
for No. 6 shot.
If it scatters too much, separate the shot by one wad

PRACTICAL.

145

instead of two, or by simply using one pink-edged wad only over the
powder, and one or two over the shot.
The scatter-charge has good penetration at 30 or 40 yards, but of
course not so much as when loaded for close shooting.
For rabbit shooting, with a full-choke-bore gun, at 15 and 20 yards'
distance, very successful results have been gained by reducing the charge
of shot to \ oz., the smashing of the game being thus avoided.
There is an idea prevalent that by diminishing the charge of powder
below the standard charge, and keeping the standard charge of shot, the
This is erroneous, so far as it
closeness of the pattern will be increased.
applies to guns choke-bored,

and the use of black gunpowders, and

in

any

productive of irregular shooting and patchy patterns.

By over-loading the gun with powder and shot, or with powder only,
irregular patchy and open patterns are produced.
When small charges are used the cartridges should not be shortened,
by cutting down, or turning over beyond the usual limit, but by filling the
space with wadding or the case may be slightly turned down, and then
crimped, as are the thin brass cases.
It will be found to be true economy to purchase just such cartridges as
For
are required for the sport purposed than to use unsuitable loads.
partridge shooting use the Sporting Life cartridges ; they are also suitable
for grouse shooting, and may be looked upon as amongst the best for all
round purposes. For shooting in pigeon matches and at wild fowl use the
very best cartridges procurable, and by no means employ reloaded cases.
For rabbit shooting a cheap cartridge may be purchased, but such
It is economical to work up old, damaged,
cartridges should not be stored.
mixed, or suspected cartridges at a rabbit shoot.
In Great Britain it is generally cheaper to purchase cartridges ready
loaded than to attempt to load the cases, and it is certainly cheaper
to purchase from a London or Birmingham gunmaker than to order from
the local dealer.
It will even pay to have small lots of even two hundred
sent by rail hundreds of miles, although the cost of carriage on five hundred
and one thousand lots is proportionately less, and if the shooting warrants
the purchase of cartridges in five hundred lots they should be so
ordered.
The best cases should be ordered, unless the cartridges are to be
shot off at once.
The brown cases offer but little inducement as to price,
and they must be used at once if satisfactory results are expected.
By purchasing in London or Birmingham the buyer ensures the lowest
he gets new goods, powder, wads, and
price if he is prepared to pay cash
shot of guaranteed quality, and the loading carefully and accurately done,
and thus uniform results are ensured. The cartridges obtained locally are
often old stock, generally loaded or partly loaded at one of the large
cartridge case factories, the powder being of the ordinary trade quality, the
shot wanting in evenness and rotundity, and the price high.
There is also
the probability of the load or size of shot required not being procurable at
case

it is

MODERN SHOT

146

GUNS.

any price. Loaded cartridges in lots of two thousand or more can be sent
economically to most of the English Colonies, to the United States, and to
The author will be pleased to give any informaseveral foreign countries.
tion he may possess or obtain as to the shipment to any port of shot or rifle
cartridges, should any person wishing to import goods of this class apply to
him.
Gunpowder is not so easily shipped as cartridges, but the quality of
English gunpowder is so favourably known, and the best brands are in such
demand, that the leading manufacturers have depots at the chief ports of
those countries into which the importation of gunpowder is permitted.
Gunmakers who make a speciality of loaded cartridges ensure the most
perfect accuracy in loading, and by the use of particular machinery and
accessories can promise a degree of excellence neither obtainable by
the ordinary method of hand loading, nor by the purely mechanical
methods practised in cartridge case factories.
The sportsman may occasionally find it necessary to load his own
cartridges, and will often do it in preference to trusting to the country
ironmonger's shopboy ; but he can never do it as economically, nor with
such accuracy, as the gunmaker, who has every mechanical contrivance, and
well-skilled workpeople to assist him.
To load quickly and accurately,
place the cases to be loaded base down upon the table.
Adjust the powder
measure, put the powder into a basin, take up a full measure, strike it oft"
level with the base of the case to be loaded, and pour it in the case carefully, holding the case over the basin.
Having filled all the cases with
powder, put in the first wad and press it squarely and firmly down ; the

succeeding powder wads

may then be put

in

and rammed home

together.

The

shot must be poured in through a tun-dish, and preferably counted

with the " Greener Shot Counter," or weighed to measure
the top wad
of thinnest card, and not too light; the turning over firmly and evenly
done.
By this method it is possible for one person unaided to load well
and accurately three thousand cartridges in a day of ten hours.
Cartridge cases do not pay to reload ; it is false economy in England
to reload paper cases or perfects
abroad it may be necessary to do so
occasionally, but no case fires so well a second time.
Paper and brass
cases both quickly lose their elasticity if reloaded and fired time after

and

in reloaded cases there will always be a greater percentage of

than in new ones. The de-capping must be done as soon after
New anvils will be required to some cases, and care
firing as convenient.
must be taken that the cap and the anvil are both got well " home " in the
cap chamber when re-capping, or miss-fires will certainly ensue.
Paper cartridges and brass may be kept over from one season to another
without appreciable deterioration, providing they are stored in a dry, airy

time,

miss-fires

and at an equable temperature of 50. Powder, whether black,

"
Schultze, or
E.C.," that has once become damp or sodden, can never be
dried so as to recover its original strength.
Some nitro-compounds may be
over-dried and develop dangerous qualities, but with either the Schultze or
place,

PRACTICAL.
" E.G."
powders

147

not probable that such will result with even the most
must not be supposed that the powder in damp
to attempt to do
cartridges can be dried without unloading the cartridges
so would be like trying to dry one's stockings without taking off one's wet

careless storing.

it is

It

boots.

SELECTING BUCKSHOT.

To select a buckshot which will suit a particular gun, put a wad in the
muzzle of the gun, about half an inch down, and fit the shot in perfect
There will be no need to try them in the cartridge-case, as it
layers.
is immaterial how they may fit there.
Buckshot of a size which will
average nine pellets to the \\ ounce will generally fit a full choke-bored
1
If a smaller shot be required,
2-gauge gun, the three shot to the layer.
choose four or five to the layer, avoiding sizes which do not fit fairly well.
With such well-chosen buckshot the whole of the 9, 12, 16, or 20 shot of
the charge will be in a centre of 25 inches diameter at 40 yards range.
THE GUN-ROOM.
Guns and shooting paraphernalia should be kept together. If a room
cannot be devoted solely to them, a capacious cupboard, or a case fitted
with a gun rack, and several drawers and shelves, will contain a small
and the requisite accessories.
Guns are best kept put together and placed

battery

butt down on a gun rack in

a glass case or gun cupboard, but if the case is not practically dust-proof,
the guns should be first put in pliable canvas or cloth covers.
Guns kept
in racks in the open room should always be kept so covered.
Loaded cartridges are best kept on an open shelf, and in a current of
air ; boxed up in an air-tight cupboard, they will deteriorate more quickly.
After the close of the season, inspect the guns very closely, and send
those concerning which there is any doubt to the gunmaker for repairs at
once.

On

receiving his report

it

will

be as well to decide quickly whether or

new weapons must be purchased for the next season. Some wet
summer day overhaul the contents of the gun-room, put the odd cartridges

not

for popping at rabbits or vermin, see that the cleaning tools are
complete, that the cartridge bags, game bags, &c. &c., are in good condition,
and make a list of the things which will be required when the season

handy

opens.
In the season the gun-room will require frequent attention if it is
made use of by more than one person. The cartridges, as soon as they
arrive from the gunmaker's, should be transferred to the magazine or
cartridge bags of the shooter for whom they are intended ; a cleaning-rod
and gear, turnscrews and extractor put in the travelling gun-case, and the
oil bottle refilled.

K 2

PART

II.

AMMUNITION AND

ACCESSORIES.
SECTION

I.

GUNPOWDERS.

THE explosive used in shot guns is either black gunpowder (saltpetre,

charcoal, sulphur) or a nitro-compound (carbon base, treated with nitric
and sulphuric acids). The black gunpowder is granulated, the grains
being of various sizes, ranging from dust to i^-inch cubes for use in
cannon.

The

ingredients of best black gunpowder are in the following prosaltpetre 75 per cent., charcoal 15 per cent, sulphur 10 per
cent., and this is the proportion generally followed by English and the
In Norway and Sweden less sulphur is used.
In
best foreign makers.
France, Prussia, Russia, Spain, and America more sulphur is used.
The explosive force is generated by the saltpetre and charcoal ; the

portion

sulphur raises the temperature of the freed gases, and adds to their volume
its own decomposition.
The speed with which a charge of powder
explodes is due to the size and density of grain. This question of grain is
of the first importance to the sportsman.
Annexed are representations of
the more usual grains.
For a muzzle-loader, No. 3 grain has been long preferred, as the smallness of the grains permits of the powder freely entering the breech and
nipple ; with the breech-loader, this necessity no longer existing, the grain
which gives the best results at the target is chosen.
The author, after many thousands of experiments, is of opinion that the
No. 4 Alliance is unequalled for all-round shooting in guns of any gauge.
For 12 and smaller bores, when strong shooting is required, the No. 4,
having a larger proportion of the finer grains than is usually found in
This powder
ordinary No. 4, will be found to give satisfactory results.
would not be obtained by mixing No. 3 and No. 4 together in any proThe Basket coarse
portions, but would require to be specially sifted.
grain of Curtis and Harvey is much liked by some sportsmen, but the
author has found a larger-grained powder to give better results.
Even for
8 and 4 bores the author has found Pigou, Wilks, and Laurence's No. 4
Alliance more suitable than the larger-grained powders sold as best for
these large shoulder guns.
To sum up the question of grain in one sentence whilst No. 6 gives
regular and even patterns, it has not the velocity of smaller-grained

by

GUNPOWDERS.

149

" Basket " cause the

pellets to
powders ; the No. 3, 2, and 5 grained
scatter more rapidly than the larger grained powders ; the No. 4, therefore, is the happy medium for the ordinary purposes of the field and trap
shooter.

'"SWS^T
"

*&&

-*f:<S r
ALLIANCEN52. ALLIANCEN^S. ALLIANCE N-4

^jr^^T4

SESc

V**5

j&fy

m$ &&.
ALLIANCE

N* 5.

jjtfpW' i^*$yr&

ALLIANCE N6.

SPECIAL PUNT POWDER.

Pigou, Wilks, and Laurence's Black Gunpowders.

Messrs. Hall have introduced a mixed grain powder, which is supposed

combine quickness of ignition with quickness of combustion. The author
has not found this powder to give results in any way superior to those
obtained with the No. 4 Alliance.

to

The

favourite grains in different countries vary with the locality

but

MODERN SHOT

ISO

GUNS.

the illustrations below represent fairly the grain with which a sportsman
in France, Germany,
unless he specify a powder or grain
will be served
or the United States.
The grains of the powder should be angular, round or cubic grains
The round grain
being slower to ignite, and slower in combustion.
the author
manufacturers
German
of
the
Bucholz)
(Cramer
gunpowder
has tried, and the results in all tests have shown to a disadvantage when
compared with the best angular-grained gunpowders. The best quality
of black gunpowder is not always the cleanest or brightest in appearance.
The following ready tests may be applied when powder of a doubtful

&

about to be purchased
a few grains in the palm of the hand, or between the finger and
thumb. If it is reduced to dust with little pressure, its density is insufficient,

brand

is

Rub

GERMAN.

FRENCH.

AMERICAN.

Foreign Gunpowders.

and .the

if the colour of the dust is of inky blackness, the

of inferior quality, and the powder poor in consequence.
Good gunpowder can scarcely be reduced to dust by rubbing in the hand
the dust will be of a rich dark brown, and if a little powder be ignited
in a piece of paper, no residuum should be left, nor the paper burnt

quality poor

charcoal

is

through.

The best gunpowder requires the very best alder-wood or dog-wood

These three ingrecharcoal, refined sulphur, and the purest saltpetre.
dients must be thoroughly corporated, and the powder submitted to great
hydraulic pressure, before being broken up and granulated.
The

charcoal of inferior quality, or badly burnt, or of the wrong wood,

the quality of the powder, whatever pains be taken with the subsequent stages of manufacture.
The brown, or cocoa powders, recently introduced, owe their colour to
a different treatment of the charcoal, and these powders have no special

will spoil

quality to

recommend them

for sporting purposes.

Black gunpowder will ignite when the temperature is raised to 600

Fahr.
some kinds at a lower temperature, and when exploded, will generate 6,400 atmospheres.
"
"
base
Nitro-compounds differ only from each other in the
used, and

G UNPO

VDEKS.

the finish of the powder.

In Schultze gunpowder, pulped wood is treated
with the acids, then purified, granulated, and waterproofed.
In "E.G."

gunpowder, cotton-waste pulped

is

treated with the acids, then purified,

In gun-cotton, cotton is the basis, and

granulated, and waterproofed.
the granulating and waterproofing processes are not performed.
Schultze gunpowder is of a pale yellow tint, "E.G." is pink, or pale
orange, and Dittmar and CoopaPs yellowish- white.
Schultze was originally of the same appearance as the Dittmar, and the
Dittmar has, the author is informed, been recently improved.
Its basis

The
pulped wood.
Coopal's is practically granulated gun-cotton.
properties of these different explosives, in comparison with black gunpowders, will be gathered from the following remarks
is

Black powder, generally speaking, has a real specific gravity of about

I*.

*
Schultze,

*~
/

!%%t*^*
^*

^,'T

*ef%*^/*

^s**^

" E.G."
Dittmar, and
Gunpowders.

1720, whilst the Schultze powder, pressed and granulated, has a specific
Therefore, a charge measuring three drams will weigh,
In combustion, wood powder
black powder 84 grains, Schultze 42 grains.
is far more rapid than black, arid therefore a greater muzzle velocity may
be obtained with it than with black powder under the same conditions.
It seldom gives a greater increase in velocity than five per cent, although the
makers affirm that it could be made to give more if desired.
In consequence, therefore, of its rapid combustion, it is unfitted for
In small rifles of 36o-bore it has been
rifles or for very large-bore guns.
found to answer very well, but black gunpowder is in all cases more
suitable where great resistance has to be overcome at the commencement.

gravity of '860.

To
may be

the great difference in the density of wood and black powder

traced the disparity between the solid residues of the respective ex-

plosives.

Wood powders possess various advantages over black, the chief

being the absence of smoke after the discharge, and the small amount of
residue deposited in the barrel.
This is on account of the greater
percentage of available gases contained in nitro-compounds to that of
Black gunpowders usually give about 65 per cent, solid
gunpowder.
residue and 35 per cent, available gases, which of course have to drive
out of the barrel the solid residue, in addition to the charge of shot and
wads in front of it ; the major portion of the solids being in a state of

MODERN SHOT

152
fine division or

smoke.

The

best

GUNS.

wood powder

will

give about 30 per

70 per cent, available gases ; consequently, one-half the

charge of powder by weight is equivalent in force to a full charge of black
This leaves, therefore, only about 15 per cent, solid residue
powder.
to be expelled from the barrel, against nearly 65 parts solids from black.
The solids resulting from the wood powder are expelled in a coherent
form instead of smoke, thus slightly lessening the recoil.
Unconfined wood powder, in common with other nitro-compounds,
may be ignited without obtaining a third of the available explosive force ;
to get the best results the ignition must be made by a detonator.
The
detonating powder contained in the ordinary sporting cap is sufficient for
a sporting charge.
The "E.G." powder has many properties in common with the Schultze.
Its specific gravity is about the same ; the amount of solid residue left in
the gun-barrel is, if anything, less ; the smoke is less dense even than from
Schultze, and the barrels do not heat so rapidly, and, strange to say,
invariably heat from the muzzle to the breech, instead of from breech to
muzzle, as is usual with black powder.
Theoretically, nitro-cellulose is
In actual practice there is little difference.
superior to nitro-lignum.
Nitro-cellulose contains about 14 per cent, of nitroxyl (NO 2 ) when at
its full strength
but by using weaker nitric acid in the solution, a less
percentage results, and ignition by detonation will be more difficult, comcent, solid residue,

bustion slower, and the explosion less violent.

Black gunpowder, on an average, will fire at a temperature of 539
Fahr., whilst nitro-cellulose, or "E.G." and Schultze gunpowders, fire at
370 Fahr.
The result of heat before ignition to various explosives is attended by
very different results.
Nitro-glycerine will explode with a modicum of
violence when at 60 Fahr., much more strongly at 100 and 350, and
increases in violence up to 750, but at and beyond 750 it becomes
comparatively weak, and its explosiveness is more and more feeble as the

temperature is raised.
Black gunpowder

is much more violent if heated to 212

before
"
E.G." and Schultze powders increases in
detonating, and the strength of
a greater ratio than black, and when heated requires less detonation.
The strength of nitro-compounds generally is better developed when
the detonator is in actual contact with the explosive.
The flash alone of

an explosive cap would not develop nearly so much energy from the
powder as would a detonator fired in the middle of the charge ; but the
explosion would be stronger than if the charge were fired by insertion of
a heated wire, or by the application of a flame.
All nitro-compounds are more violent in their action the more
tightly
they are confined, and the stronger the detonation by which they are
exploded.
The explosion by means of a Bickford fuse of various explosives in

G UNPO WDF.RS.

cylinders 4x8, and bores 1x4 inches, capacity of 60 cubic

i oz.
of Curtis and Harvey's No. 4
centimetres, resulted as follows
Diamond Grain increased capacity to 280 cubic centimetres ; whilst \ oz.
of "E.G." increased it to 210, and a like charge of Schultze made the

lead

same

increase.

"

The chemical

E.G."
action of the residue left in the barrel after firing
or Schultze is not more deleterious than that left after firing the best
black gunpowders, and no more cleaning or preparation of the barrel is
required with one explosive than with another.
The trials hitherto made with the new safety powder do not show that
the powder equals in strength or regularity the best brands of ordinary
powder, and whatever merit the powder may possess as a safety explosive
it is, for sporting purposes, inferior to the explosives to which the leading

sportsmen have been accustomed.

"

name

of a Russian nitro-comThe
is the Schultze.
pulp is boiled with nitrate of potash, and treated with sulphuric and nitric
acids. This explosive has a perfect combustion, leaving absolutely no fouling
in the barrel, and is quite smokeless.
At the St. Petersburg gun trials of
Silatoir,

or

pound which

is

strength- producer,"

is

the

manufactured from a wood pulp, as

1887 it was tried in the author's winning gun, but did not register patterns
or force equal to those registered by Schultze powder in the same gun.
At later trials the powder in a compressed form was tried, and penetration
and patterns equal to those made with the sporting charges of Schultze

powder were obtained.

manufacture,
of the day.

may prove

This powder, when granulated and perfected in

a formidable rival to the favourite nitro-compounds

The explosives manufactured by the Smokeless Explosives Company at

Ware differ from the Schultze and "E.G." in composition, for it is con.

tended that neither nitro-cellulose nor nitro-lignum forms the base from
which the powder is produced. From trials made by the author, as well
as from reports he has received from sportsmen who have submitted it to
"
S.S." powder would seem to offer no particular advanpractical tests, the
It cannot be denied that
over
the
explosives already established.
tage
excellent results, both at the target and in the field, have been obtained
"
with " S.S. ;
nevertheless, the advantages which have been gained by its
makers are rather of a commercial and technical nature than of superior
qualities or

powers

in the explosive itself.

SECTION
LEAD SHOT

II.

SHOT.

that which is moulded, as large buckshot,

dropped," as the ordinary small shot.
Drop shot should be made of lead without a tin alloy; it may be
hardened by the patented process of the Newcastle Chilled Shot Company.
Hard shot is preferable to soft for all purposes, but it is more expensive.
The hardest, heaviest, and roundest shot made in England is that manuThe
factured at Gateshead by the Newcastle Chilled Shot Company.
hardest lead shot will not injure a gun-barrel, even if the barrel be of soft

and

that

is

which

of two kinds

is

"

Belgian metal.

The absurd
demand

notions current respecting the qualities of chilled shot

serious consideration. Sportsmen who can treat otherwise
than jokingly the assertion that shot will glance off the feathers of a bird,
are not likely to dip deeply into the theories of the flight of projectiles.
It
is well known that several shots of a charge will sometimes take a very
erratic flight, but it cannot be shown that chilled shot are more apt to do so
than soft.
Could these erratic pellets be examined after flight, they would
be found to be of irregular shape.
The nearer to a perfect sphere each pellet of a charge is when the
charge leaves the muzzle, the nearer perfect will be the flight of that
In passing through the barrel the shot, by pressing against one
charge.
another and the barrel, become deformed, unless they are of hardened
metal.
Chilled shot will improve the shooting of any gun ; it does not
lead so much as the softer shot, and if made as it is by the Newcastle
Chilled Shot Company is of the same specific gravity and free from poison
as soft shot, whilst as a projectile it is superior in every way.
To the teeth either soft or chilled is equally disagreeable ; it would
be better for shooting could shot be made still harder than it now is.
To make shot, the lead, when molten, is poured through a sieve which
has a tremulous motion conveyed to it by a geared machine ; this motion
causes the cooling lead to form itself into small globules, and these
globules retain their shape as they fall down the shaft into the water
placed for them.
large percentage of these globules are not perfectly
From the best quality of shot all ill-shapen pellets are removed,
spherical.
and care is taken that the shots of one nominal size are all as nearly
as possible the same size.
Unless this were so, the shooting would be
inferior ; no good
shooting can be made by mixing shots of two different
sizes in the one
charge.
scarcely

SHOT.

'55

There is in commoner shot a great diversity in the shape and size of

the individual pellets, and the average size will not be found to correspond
with the published size.
American and Continental shot is not so regular, either in size or
shape, as the English ; and there are frequent discrepancies between the
In America,
printed list of sizes and the actual dimensions of the shot.
as in England, there seems to be no association of manufacturers for the
purpose of producing shot of standard gauges ; and as it is impossible to
determine the merit of a gun's performance at the target without knowing
the number of pellets contained in the charge, the following tables of sizes
of the leading manufacturers may be found useful
:

STANDARD

SIZES

LANE AND NESHAM,

LONDON.

OF ENGLISH SHOT.

MODERN SHOT

156

fOOO

8goMM
ro co co

f>

N l^MOO'O N*O

pq

<*

GUNS.

'~'

mvo

NrorJ

t^ ON

"

fT

^^

"->

HtHW

ON

o -

ON

II!

8|

pq

N
|

1*33
ON

txOO ON

CQ

64
ll
pq

W ^ u->\O

u^ Q N N OO
t^\5 N OO t^
CO xoOO ON t^

N OO
ONOO O\ N 00
rn ro ^rj- Tt iovo OO ON

1-1

ON ONOO "-> O
Tf o t^ t^vO

^ c_ pq
_i

t^oo ON

io

ONi-ivO^O NOOOO
t^OO O fOvO

i^>

N
N

vO

OO

ro

* xovo

M N
N 00
o

vO

CO

O
N

^""^pq^

t^oo ON

O - N

>O O O
"->r<->OOOOONw>
M rOOO rj- u-)\O
O N +* iovo
N CO ^-\O ONVO

* Tf u-)vO OO ON

'

OO
i^

ONON$^-^-N
mro
t^OO ON

w 3

'

SHOT.

CONTINENTAL
FRENCH.

157
SIZES.

SECTION

III.

CARTRIDGE CASES AND WADDING,

CARTRIDGE

CASES.

THE

chief requisites in cartridge cases for shot

guns are perfect ignition,
of size,
capability of resisting atmospheric changes and
moderate pressure.
Nothing is more tantalising to the sportsman than
miss-fires;
To
hang-fires, too, are a great nuisance.
enjoy shooting, there must be perfect freedom from
:

uniformity

tight-

and the cases must be well made

stand heavy charges and extract freely.
Not unfre-

fitting cartridge

to

The

Pin-fire

Cartridge Case.

cases,

tt r\
rt./o
c i.
JDaw
Section ot the
Cartridge Case (Eley's). Central-fire Cartridge Case.

section of the Central-fire

Section of the Patent

Bailev Case and

view o f Gas-tight Base.

quently with cheap cases the heads are pulled off by the extractor, the
cylinder being left in the chamber to be removed by the grip extractor,
sold by gunmakers for this purpose, or cut out with the shooter's knife.
The cases must be of exact size also in the rim ; many have small
rims, so that in loading they slip past the extractor, and prevent the gun
It is also of importance that the case be substantially
being closed.
made, capable of resisting such pressure as careless packing in the magazine,

CARTRIDGE CASES AND WADDIXG.

159

A stout, well-made
or the usual accidents of travel may occasion.
case will keep the powder in better condition than will a thin, unglazed,
imperfectly finished case.
There are several good makers of paper cases in the market. Eley's
green, as made by this celebrated firm for the last twenty-five years, give
The blue case may be used for a different charge as
general satisfaction.
The
a distinctive colour ; in quality it is but little inferior to the green.
buff and red cases sold for Schultze and "E.G." powder serve this same
The cap in red cases for "E.G." powder is somewhat stronger
purpose.
than that generally used by Messrs. Eley, and ensures the quick ignition of
this

powder.
Stronger cases than any

Kynoch's "Perfect"
Case.

"

Demi-High

Life

"
cases,

made by Eley

are

Method of Crimping the

"
"
Kynoch Perfect Case
with Greener's Corrugator.

much used

coil of thin brass foil outside the paper,

and making the extraction more

easy.

the "

High

Life

"

and

The "Perfect" Case

Crimped and Compressed.

a
pigeon shooting. They have
strengthening the case near the base,

for

They may be used advantageously

with heavy charges, or in guns with weak or much-worn breech-actions.

"
"
Messrs. Kynoch, Limited, have a
perfectly gas-tight cartridge case,
middle of the
the
to
in which a solid drawn cap extends from the base
case outside the paper, which is superior to a metal lining, and renders the
case as stable as the " Demi-High Life."
Messrs. Joyce have a paper case with a metal capsule covenng the cap,
to prevent the escape of any gas into the breech mechanism.

MODERN SHOT

160

GUNS.

The thin brass perfect case of Messrs. Kynoch has greater capacity
These cases are the
than the paper cases of the same nominal gauge.
same price as the best paper cases, and as they do not swell, and keep the
they are much favoured by some sportsmen ;
powder in good condition,
" feel " of the
others do not like the
sharp edges of the metallic cases, and
The latest pattern of perfect case has the base
continue to use paper.
filled with paper pulp, which strengthens the rim, renders the base solid,
and lessens the liability to miss-fire. These cases do not give way in the
least ; and if the primers are kept of uniform good quality sportsmen may
"
"
case.
In America
perfect
congratulate themselves upon having a truly
in
than
are
dearer
or
"shells,"
England, and not equal in
paper cases,
quality to those made here. The American metallic cases are good, but very
On the Continent a very cheap paper case colour greyish-brown
dear.
is sold, which is of such poor quality that all sportsmen would do well to
avoid using them.

WADDING.
The wadding used in the shot gun is of three varieties
ist, the sim2nd, a felt wad
3rd, a hard felt paper-faced wad,
ple cardboard wad
known as the " pink edge " or the field wad. A cardboard or waterproof
(pitch paper) wad must be placed over the powder this must be followed
The top
by a lubricating felt wad, usually 3-8ths of an inch in thickness.
wad over the shot must be of the thinnest cardboard.
Pink-edged, pink:

<c

faced,

used

field,"

and

and black wads are

on cartridge loading.

thick cardboard wads, cloth wads,

for special purposes, as specified in the section

Shot Wads.

Some special wads have been introduced for the purpose of increasing
the range of the gun ; one which is much used on the Continent consists of
a conical cup wad, like the
improved Lancaster Concentrator reversed, and
its use in
cylinder guns is advantageous ; in choke-bores it should not be
used.
Another wad is so constructed that immediately it leaves the muzzle of
the gun it falls to dust, and this wad, if fixed over the
shot, slightly increases
the pattern at short
ranges ; if over the powder without other wadding, it
reduces both pattern and penetration.
One firm of English gunmakers use
an

wood sawdust for wadding.

In the United States a metal
top wad is sometimes used to fix the

oily preparation of soft

CARTRIDGE CASES AND WADDING.

161

"
"
charge in paper or brass cases ; it is known as the Star wad. The author
has no experience of its advantages.
The foregoing illustrations of wads generally used in England will
enable the tyro to recognise them, especially if the following particulars

are

remembered.

The

wads are elastic, of a light pink colour, deeper at the

Cheaper qualities are of a deeper tint, and the "plainest
are brown in colour and hard and close in texture.
The " Field wad is
black (pitched paper) on one face, pink paper on the other ; the edge is
greased.
Pink-edged wads are greased at the edge, and have paper faces
of a light pink tint
they should be of elastic felt.
best

felt

greased edge.

LOADED CARTRIDGES.

few hints and theories

cartridges may be welcome.

The

"

Life

"

cases

concerning the choice

and loading

of

made

ignition to any explosive

a different kind to that

in Belgium have large caps, and give perfect

used for sporting purposes. The fulminate is of
found in cases of English make. The bases are

These
stronger and more solid, and they rarely, if ever, burst at the rim.
cases have given great satisfaction, and as they may be more readily
de-capped than those made on other systems, they enjoy an enviable
The large
reputation amongst sportsmen who reload their cartridge cases.
cap prevents the escape of gas into the striker hole, and this is but one of
their several other advantages.
Felt wadding must be used between the powder and shot, a wad T3F inch
thick is enough for a 28-bore, and J inch would not be too thick for an
8-bore ; as there is not a wad so thick, a pink-edged wad must be used as
7
| or T

the correct thickness for a 1 2-bore wad.

There is little doubt but the wads
not fit the case tightly.
The felt
are expanded in the cartridge case before the shot is started.
wad serves to clean the fouling in the barrel left from the firing of the
The blackened edges of the felt wad are not caused by
previous charge.
the gases of the ignited explosive singeing the wad, but the fouling in the
It is quite
barrel, which fouling also hardens the wad edge very materially.
possible that this fouling is in some way beneficial to the gun barrel, as it
acts as a lubricant for the shot, and it is well known that a shot barrel with
a certain amount of fouling will throw the shot closer and harder than a
well

is

Wads need

dry, bright barrel.

Large charges of black powder, and all charges of Schultze or "E.G.,"

should be wadded with a pink-edged as well as the felt wad, as the
In the same manner, if a lighter charge of
shooting is thereby improved.
shot is used, extra wadding must be employed.
If the thick felt wad is
soft and greasy, it may sometimes be picked up after firing with several
pellets of the shot charge buried in or adhering to it ; with four wads it is
therefore necessary to put a card wad over the felt.

MODERN SHOT

62

GUNS.

TECHNICALITIES.

The wads when

one or the other side of the line of

a short distance from the muzzle of the gun.
If the time occupied from the instant of pulling the trigger to the
pellets of the charge striking the object at 35 yards' distance be '1237 sec.,
which is about the average when using the standard charge in a 1 2-bore
Time occupied from pulling
gun, the periods may be divided as follows
of trigger to striker touching the cap, -0022 sec. ; cap to muzzle of gun,
0055 sec. ; and muzzle to object, -1160 sec., which is a mean velocity for
fire,

and

fired fall a little to

at

"

"

Eley

View of

Case.

"

Life
Ignition of Central-fire Cases.

the Cap-chambers and Section of Caps

and "Eley" Cases.

the 35 yards of 905

With the

"

Case.

"
and Anvils of the " Life

larger cap and Schultze powder the

per second, but the total time will be '1235
sec., as, although the time occupied by the ignition and combustion of
the Schultze is -0004. more than that
required by No. 4 black powder, the
force generated throws the
pellets the 35 yards in '0006 less time than the

mean

velocity will be

feet.

910

feet

CARTRIDGE CASES AND WADDING.

163

In Schultze gunpowder the slowness of ignition is compensated

or by the greater amount of gas liberated by the combustion ; and if the
ignition of the powder be quickened by the use of a large cap and more
fulminate the pressure exerted by this larger body of gas is such as to
cause the pellets it projects to travel at a greater speed than it is possible
to project them with any other explosive used in shot guns.
mixture of various-sized angular grains of black gunpowder of the
best quality gives the nearest approach to the results obtained from
Schultze gunpowder.
It is generally admitted that the stronger the ignition of the explosive
the better the shooting.
Messrs. Eley have, in their ordinary central-fire
cap, an article which may be absolutely relied upon for freedom from miss-

black.

That they were loth to depart from their standard pattern

hang-fires.
not surprising, but certain of the nitro-compounds now in use requiring
such, they produced a cap charged more heavily with fulminate, but
otherwise of the same shape and style as their usual primer.
The cut shows the exact size of the orifice through which the flash
must pass, both in the Eley case i, and the " Life " case 2 ; it will be seen
that there is a wide difference.
The cap of the " Life " case 2 is larger, and the anvil of a different shape.
The flash with the " Life " cases is very full and fills the case ; from the
smaller cap, with the cap chamber pierced with a small round hole only,
the flash is much smaller in volume, as well as being of inferior force.
and
is

CARTRIDGES.

The

cap of the Sporting Life cartridge case ensures the perfect

ignition of the explosive, producing an increased velocity, greater peneThe size and form of the flash-hole, the shape
tration, and larger range.
and arrangement of the heavily charged cap, and the broad anvil render
miss or hang-fires impossible, and produce perfect combustion of large or
small charges of all explosives ; the increased diameter of the cap prevents
fouling through the striker hole or erosion around it.
Another case of Kynoch's make is similar to the perfectly gastight, but
the brass is extended to within one quarter inch of the mouth of the case.
"
"
It is called the
grouse case, and the advantage claimed for it over other
large

paper cases include non-liability to

or used in wet weather.

Messrs. Kynoch's

change when exposed

" Grouse

"

Cartridge Case.

in

damp

places

SECTION
THE

IV.

GUN CASES AND IMPLEMENTS.

If kept in a gun
is worth preserving.
a dust-proof gun cupboard, it will last longer, and if put
away clean will always be ready for use. To take guns from place to place,
a case is necessary ; if they are to be sent, a substantial oak case, leathersuch a case well made is worth about ^5. It affords
covered, is the best
complete protection to the gun, and will itself withstand the roughest usage.
that is to say, cases in which best leather is sewn to
Sole leather cases
pine frames are light and handy, and do well to carry guns in, but they
must not be used as packing-cases ; and although they will upon occasion
stand several trips to the Rocky Mountains, they are not adapted to the
rough usage they receive in the goods van, and do not protect the gun as
will the oak-covered case.
best sole leather case is worth
The leg4.
of-mutton case affected by trap-shooters does not give much protection to
the gun, but it is very light, and serves well to carry the gun ; the cost is ^3.
case to carry the gun at full length has been recommended, but its bulk
makes it inconvenient in many situations where the shorter case is no

gun that

rack, or better

is

worth owning

still,

encumbrance.
It is preferable to carry cartridges in a separate magazine than in a tray
gun cases. These magazines are made to carry 50 the neat little

in the

The English Gun

Case.

case carried by the trap-shooter

and 100, 200, 300, 400, or 500, the last a
substantial trunk, heavily made, and able to withstand
luggage porters' careless handling.

GUN CASKS AND IMPLEMENTS.

The

165

divisions are preferable as in the English magazine, for the cases

American Cartridge Magazine.

English Cartridge Magazine.

then travel better, and are more easily packed into and removed from the
magazine.
The impedimenta in England may be restricted to a full set of cleaning
implements, including pocket cleaner and chamber brushes, action brush,
tow, rag, flannel, and oil.
pocket extractor is useful, and a pair of turnscrews may be kept in the cases.

Cartridge loading apparatus will be found useless in England, where

is cheap, and it is not the rule to reload cases.
When travelling abroad, powder and shot measures should be taken,
also a rammer and turnover de- and re-capper and supply of caps, gunpowder, wadding, and a little shot.
Cartridges are best carried in a magazine of solid leather, or wood
In the field cartridges may be carried in the pocket.
canvas-covered.

ammunition

Cartridge belts cannot be recommended for ordinary shooting, although

when they are very useful, if not indispensable. Cartridge
bags to hold 75 or 100 cartridges are large enough for all purposes, and
will be found to hang very heavily if much walking is done.
Two small
The Quellan patent cartridge
bags feel much lighter than one large one.
carrier is very handy, but is open to the same objections as the bag, viz.,
the weight always bearing upon the one shoulder tires more quickly than if
the load be distributed in the pockets of a shooting jacket.
there are times

PART

III.

SECTION

I.

TRAP SHOOTING
LIVE BIRD SHOOTING.

THE

shooting of live birds is supposed to be a cruel sport, whereas, as

on at the best English and foreign clubs, it is a perfectly legitimate pastime, and as free from cruelty as any shooting at birds or beasts
can be.
Notwithstanding that the opponents of pigeon shooting allege, with
some truth, that pigeon shooting, unlike British field sports, is of lowly
origin, it may be said that for several generations it has been a favourite
pastime with many of the best known sportsmen of this country, as well as
patronised of late years in all parts of the world by thorough sportsmen.
As a means of ascertaining the relative skill of "wing shots," or as a
method of determining individual prowess with the shot gun, the shooting
at pigeons freed from a trap offers advantages over any other method, and
this fact alone would make pigeon shooting a favourite pastime with those
who consider themselves good game shots.
On the other hand, it must be allowed that pigeon shooting may have
originated with gamekeepers and poachers, who found therein a legal
method of determining who was the best shot. Pigeon shooting has long
been a holiday pastime with the frequenters of low public-houses, and has
been and still is used as a means by sharpers to fleece the unwary young
It is wise to shoot pigeons at recognised clubs only, whether
sportsman.
in England or elsewhere ; and before
accepting an invitation to shoot a
friendly match, to make sure of the character of the person who invites the
contest, or experience at the trap may be very dearly bought.
Pigeon shooting as a sport may be said to date from about the middle
of this century, although there were occasional matches and contests
The first handicap is said to have been shot upon Mr. Purdey's
earlier.
grounds at Willesden in 1856, but previous to this there had been fashionable contests at the " Old Hats " public-house, on the Uxbridge Road at
The " Old Hats " obtained its name from the fact
Ealing, near London.
that the pigeons used for the matches were placed in holes in the ground,
and were covered with old hats. The " Red House " at Battersea was
afterwards the favourite metropolitan resort for wager shooting.
The first
carried

bond-fide

Pigeon Club was formed at Hornsey

Wood

House.

Traps were

LIVE BIRD SHOOTING.

re-;

MODERN SHOT

68

GUNS.

"
"
small cannon which were formerly in vogue as pigeon
used here, and the
the
and
were
ordinary double-barrelled fowling-piece
discountenanced,
guns
The late J. H. Walsh (Stonehenge) gave a sketch of this
substituted.
fashionable ground in his book on the gun, which illustration is, by the
Since the founding of
kind permission of his publishers, reproduced here.

the Hornsey Wood Club numerous clubs have come into existence, and
amongst the most celebrated in England are
:

THE GUN CLUB, Netting Hill, London. Secretary, Mr. G. A. Battock,

Carlton Street, S.W.
Winter shooting commences the first week in November, and is continued every Saturday until March.
The summer shooting commences in April, and is continued twice or
4,

thrice

weekly until July.

THE HURLINGHAM GUN AND POLO CLUB, Fulham, .London.

the

Secretary,

Hon. D. Monson, Hurlingham.

Summer shooting commences in April or first week in May, and is

continued twice or thrice weekly through the summer.
The International week of the Hurlingham and the Gun Clubs is
generally fixed for the i5th of July, and the combined sweepstakes money
and other prizes offered by the two clubs to be shot for in these contests
are worth about ,3,700.
THE INTERNATIONAL GUN AND POLO CLUB, Brighton. Secretary, Mr.
Holt, 173, Piccadilly, London, W.
Frequent meetings during the summer, and occasional shooting in the
winter, with additional fixtures for the week following the International

week

at

London.

THE UNION GUN

"

The Welsh Harp," Hendon. Secretary, Mr.

Maas, i,
Street, Piccadilly.
Frequent matches and handicaps on Saturdays.
THE MANCHESTER GUN CLUB. Secretary, Mr. Ainsworth, Barton
Arcade, Manchester.
THE WOLVERHAMPTON GUN CLUB. Secretary, Mr. Sweetam, Star
CLUB,

Dover

Hotel, Wolverhampton.

THE OLDHAM GENTLEMEN'S GUN CLUB. Secretary, Mr. Hitchen,

White Lion Hotel, Oldham.
THE WITTON GUN CLUB. Secretary, Mr. Twiss, Witton Road, Witton,
Birmingham.
There are also in or near London The Commercial Gun Club, The
Licensed Victuallers' Gun Club, The Wimbledon Gun Club, and The MidKent Gun Club. There is also pigeon shooting at the Ranelagh and at the
Orleans Clubs by arrangement.
In the provinces there are good clubs at Cheltenham, Maidenhead,
Redcar, Barrow, Taunton, Exeter, Chester, Newton-le-Willows, and
Stockton-on-Tees.

m
S-

-3

MODERN SHOT

170

GUNS.

Abroad.

FRANCE.

Cercle des Patineurs, Bois

de Boulogne,

Paris.

M. Payme
Secretary,
principality of Monaco.
The season commences about
Carlo.

MONTE CARLO
address

Monte

Secretary,

M. Blondin
the

loth

of

December, and there is shooting every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday

middle of January, when the International Contests commence.
At the International Contests there are, in addition to the sweepstakes,
" Prix tfouverture " the
in the
valuable pieces of plate
plate is usually
worth about ^80 ; in the " Grand Prix du Casino" ;8oo, with about
^"280 as share of the entrance-money; the second taking ;i6o, and oneand the
fourth of the entrance-money, the third ^"80 and one-fourth,
The Prix de Monte
fourth ^"40 and 15^0 of the entrance-money.
Prix de
Carlo -a prize of plate and ,120 joined to a sweepstakes.
Consolation
a piece of plate and ^40 joined to a share of the entranceuntil the

money.
Every third year there is also the great contest for
"
Championnat Universel" which, in addition to the great prestige
pigeon shot the winner has, is worth about ^400 in money.

The

the
as a

International Contests are followed by meetings twice weekly until

April.

The Monaco Meetings are attended by the best shots of all nations, and
may be participated in by members of the chief Pigeon Clubs in Europe.
BOULOGNE-SUR-MER. Secretary, M. Blondin, Rue de Thain 6, Paris.
The International Meetings held here during the last week in July, and the
:
rirst in August, are attended
by first class shots of all nationalities. The
prizes offered are worth ^400.
There are also good meetings at Abbeville, Amiens, Bordeaux
(Saumur\ Cambrai, Havre, Lille, Lyons, Macon, Nantes, Rheims, Rouen,
Tours, and Valenciennes, during the summer months.
During the winter
there are meetings at Arcachon, Cannes, Marseilles, Pau, and several other
winter resorts.

At

Paris, in addition to the

d'Acheres

Cercle des Patineurs, there are the

and the Tir du Pare (Saint-Ouen), where pigeon shooting

Tir
is

practised.

BELGIUM. BRUSSELS.
The Tir aux Pigeons, Bois de la Cambre, is
the chief club.
The Secretary is M. Brancquaert, Boitsfort, par Bruxelles,
and he also acts for the Societies at Spa, and at Ostend, where there are
At Antwerp there is also a good club, the Secretary
important meetings.
is M. Marchant, of
List, Shootzen, Anvers.
AUSTRIA.

At Vienna, The Pigeon Shooting Club, of which Mr. Georg

Also a large and
is the Secretary.

Guttera, of the Jockey Club, Vienna,

influential club at Trieste.

GERMANY.

The Union Club

racecourse at Hoppegarten,

Baden, and Wiesbaden.

of Berlin have a pigeon ground near their

is pigeon shooting at Ems, Baden-

and there

LIVE BIRD SHOOTING.

171

In SPAIN there are several clubs, some of which hold important International Meetings.
The chief clubs are at Madrid the late King of Spain
was a member of this club and a regular attendant at Seville, at Cordova,
In PORTUGAL there are clubs at Lisbon
Cadiz, Granada, and Valencia.

and Oporto.
In ITALY, clubs at Rome, Milan, Florence, Genoa, Venice (a good
In SICILY at Palermo,
meeting), Bologna, Padua, and Turin.
Messina, and Catania.
In RUSSIA there are two clubs at St. Petersburg, and one at Moscow.
The Moscow club is a new one, but is fitted with all latest appliances, and

summer

the shooting is exceptionally good.

There are also clubs at Pesth,

and at Constantinople, and at many

other towns still more rarely visited by English pigeon shooters.
At all of
these clubs an Englishman who is a member of either of the London clubs,
would be permitted to participate in the shooting. There is no pigeon
shooting at live birds in Norway or Sweden, but there are clay pigeon clubs
at Christiania, Gothenburg, and Stockholm.
In AMERICA gun clubs are numerous.
There are more than fifty
live bird gun clubs in the United States.
Englishmen should procure the
"Club Directory" (the Clucas Publishing Co., New York), where the
leading gun, rifle, shooting, and hunting clubs will be found detailed, with
the addresses of their secretaries.
There is a good club at Buenos Ayres, and several at Monte Video.
In AUSTRALASIA respectable clubs will be found in every town.
RULES OF LIVE BIRD SHOOTING.
In England, as well as in America, the English Colonies, and in most
clubs founded upon the same basis as our English clubs, the Hurlingham
At the Gun Club,
Rules are accepted wtthout important modifications.
however, the gun must be half a pound less than the Hurlingham limit,
which is 8 Ibs.

THE HURLINGHAM CLUB RULES.

1.
2.

3.

4.

5.

The referee's decision shall be final.

The gun must not be held to the shoulder until the shooter has
"
called
Pull."
The gun must be clear below the armpit, other"
wise the referee shall declare
No bird."
miss-fire is no shot under any circumstances.
If the shooter's gun miss fire with the first barrel, and he use the
second and miss, the bird is to be scored lost.
If the miss-fire occurs with the second barrel, the shooter having
failed to kill with his first, he may claim another bird; but he
must fire off the first barrel with a cap on, and a full charge of

powder, before

firing the

second.

MODERN SHOT

172
6.

The

shooter's feet shall

gun

is

discharged.

GUNS.

be behind the shooting mark

If,

until after his

in the opinion of the referee, the shooter

balked by any antagonist or looker-on, or by the trapper,

whether by accident or otherwise, he may be allowed another

is

bird.
7.

when he is at his mark ready to shoot, shall give the

"
Are you ready ? to the puller, and then call " Pull."
be
Should the trap
pulled without the word being given, the
shooter may take the bird or not but if he fires, the bird must

The

shooter,
"

caution

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

be deemed to be taken.
at the option
If, on the trap being pulled, the bird does not rise, it is
of the shooter to take it or not ; if not, he must declare it by
" No bird " but should he fire after
;
declaring, it is not to
saying,
be scored for or against him.
Each bird must be recovered within the boundary, if required by
any party interested, or it must be scored lost.
If a bird that has been shot at perches or settles on the top of the
fence, or on any part of the buildings higher than the fence,
it is to be scored a lost bird.
If a bird once out of the ground should return and fall dead within
the boundary, it must be scored a lost bird.
If the shooter advances to the mark and orders the trap to be
pulled, and does not shoot at the bird, or his gun is not properly
loaded, or does not go off, owing to his own negligence, that bird
is to be scored lost.

A bird

shot on the ground with the first barrel is "No bird," but it
shot on the ground with the second barrel, if it has been
fired at with the first barrel while on the wing ; but if the shooter
misses with the first and discharges his second barrel, it is to be
accounted a lost bird, in case of not falling within bounds.
14. All birds must be gathered by the dog or trapper, and no member
shall have the right to gather his own bird, or to touch it with his
hand or gun.
15. In Single Shooting, if more than one bird is liberated, the shooter
"
may call No bird," and claim another shot ; but if he shoots, he
must abide by the consequences.
1 6.
The shooter must not leave the shooting mark under any pretence
to follow up any bird that will not rise, nor may he return to his
mark after he has once quitted it to fire his second barrel.
17. Any shooter found to have in his gun more shot than is allowed,

13.

may be

1 8.

is to be at once
disqualified.
Any loader supplying in sweepstakes or matches cartridges loaded in excess of the authorised
charge, will be dismissed from the Club grounds.
None but members can shoot except on the occasion of private

matches.

LIVE BIRD SHOOTING.

19.

No

173

wire cartridges or concentrators allowed, or other substance to

be mixed with the

shot.

handicaps, sweepstakes, or matches, the standard bore of the

gun is No. T2. Members shooting with less to go in at the rate
of half-a-yard for every bore less than 12 down to i6-bore.
Eleven-bore guns to stand back half-a-yard from the handicap
distance, and no guns over n-bore allowed.
21. The winner of a sweepstakes of the value of ten sovereigns,
20.

In

all

own stake, goes back two yards ; under that

Members
sum, one yard, provided there be over five shooters.
saving or dividing in an advertised event will be handicapped
including his

accordingly.
22.

Should any member kill a bird at a distance nearer than that at

which he is handicapped, it shall be scored no bird, but should
he miss, a lost bird.

J oz. of shot and 4 drs. of black powder, or its equivalent in any

other description of gunpowder, is the maximum charge.
Size
of shot restricted to Nos. 5,6, 7, and 8.
24. All muzzle-loaders shall be loaded with shot from the club
23.

25.

If

bowls.
any bird escapes through any opening in the paling,
a "

No

RULES FOR DOUBLE

1.

2.

it

shall

be

bird."

RISES.

In Double Shooting, when more than two traps are pulled, the
shooter may call " No birds," and claim two more ; but if he
shoots, he must abide by the consequences.
If, on the traps being pulled, the birds do not rise, it is at the option
of the shooter to take them or not.
If not, he must declare by
"

No birds."
saying
on the traps being pulled, one bird does not rise, he cannot
demand another double rise ; but he must wait and take the bird

3.

If,

4.

5.

If the shooter's

when

it flies.

bird shot on the ground, if the other bird is missed, is a lost

bird j but if the other bird is killed, the shooter may demand

another two birds.

gun misses fire with the first barrel, he may demand
another two birds ; but if he fires his second barrel, he must
If the miss-fire occurs with the
abide by the consequences.
second barrel, the shooter having killed with the first, he may
demand another bird, but may only use one barrel; if he
missed with the first barrel, Rule 5 in Single Shooting will

apply.

On

the Continent, especially in Southern Europe, the Rules of the

MODERN SHOT

74

Cerde des Patineurs are adhered

appended

in full

to.

They

GUNS.
also rule at

Monaco, so they are

PIGEON SHOOTING RULES.

1.

2.

Members

pigeon shooting club is established at the Cercle des Patineurs.

of the club only are admitted, but nevertheless for persons
other than members, on the request and under the express responsibility of a member, an entrance-ticket to the grounds may
be obtained, available for one day. This ticket, which costs 10
francs, is not transferable, and ought to be signed by the member
who requested it and a member of the committee. Members of
the Hurlingham and London Gun Clubs are considered honorary
members of the Cercle des Patineurs, unless their visit to France
should exceed two months, in which case they ought to be
formally presented.

3.

The committee have

shooting,

4.

the right to reserve certain days for public

to issue special tickets upon those occasions.
to the club will place at the service of members of

and

The gun-maker

the club guns, cartridges, and accessories.

Every liberty is given
to others to bring the guns and cartridges of the shooters.
lo-bore is the largest bore allowed, 10 grammes, 20 of powder, and
5.
36 grammes of shot is the heaviest load permitted. No. 5 is the
largest shot that may be used.
[English measure, 4 drachms powder and ij of shot]
6. Wire cartridges and cartridges
specially made to increase the range
are, on grounds of safety, strictly forbidden ; nevertheless, concentrators may be used.
7. The members of the committee choose one or more referees, whose
decisions in all cases shall be final.
They also act as handicappers.
They may appoint one or several persons to form a
handicap who are strangers to the committee, and if they deem
it advisable
they can examine the cartridges and loads, and enforce the rules.
8. The
boundary within which the pigeon must fall to be scored good
is the half of a circle,
having a radius of 80 metres (87 yards).
In the centre is the pavilion. The distance from the centre trap
to the boundary is 50 metres (54 yards, 2 feet).
9. The traps are five in number, and five metres (5 yards, i foot, 5
10.

inches) from each other.

shooter must place himself at the exact distance which has

The

been assigned to him, and his feet must not be in advance of

the line arawn to mark the distances.
The gun is not to be
shouldered, but the stock must be below the shoulder of the
shooter.

If these regulations are not obeyed, the referee

"
"
Lost at discretion.

may

LIVE BIRD SHOOTING.

ii.

175

is baffled by a competitor or spectator, or if he is

discomposed through any accident whatever, he may claim another

If the shooter
bird.

2.

The

13.

mark without interwhen time will be allowed

shooters must succeed each other at the

ruption, save in the case of accident,

at the discretion of the referee.

The
"

shooter, when at the mark and ready to shoot, should cry

Pull."
Should the trap open before he says the word, it is at

his option to take the bird or not

but

if

he shoots, the shot

will

be scored.
sprung and the pigeon does not rise, it is at the
option of the shooter to accept or refuse it.
"
No bird" If it is missed
15. If the pigeon is killed before rising it is
whilst on the ground with the first barrel and killed whilst flying
with the second, it is "No bird ;" but if it is missed under the
same conditions with one or both shots, the pigeon is lost. In
short, if the shooter waits until the pigeon rises and is afterwards
shot at, it is scored to the shooter.
In the last case only may the
gun be brought to "the shoulder, but it is well understood that to
be scored " killed no bird must be killed except on the wing.
1 6. The shooter has a
right to another bird if his gun miss-fires or
refuses to go off through any fault not his own.
1 7. The
pigeon is lost if the shooter has neglected to cock his gun, to
load it, or to place on the cap.
18. If the first barrel misses fire, and the shooter fires the second, he
loses his right to another pigeon, unless the second barrel also
14.

If the trap is

miss-fires.

second barrel misses fire, the shooter having fired and

missed the bird with the first, he may claim another bird but in
that case both barrels must be loaded, the first with powder only,
and neither barrel must be discharged until after the trap is sprung.
20. It is forbidden to shoot both barrels at the same time.
21. When the shooting is at single birds, and more than one bird is
sprung, the shooter may refrain from shooting, and declare it no
bird, but if he shoots the shot must in all instances be scored.
22. When shooting at double rises and more than two pigeons rise
together, the same right is accorded as in Rule 21.
23. The pigeon to be scored must fall and be gathered within the
boundary if it falls without or within after having been outside
the boundary, it is scored lost.
24. The boundary within which the birds must fall and be gathered to
be scored good is shown by barriers or tape.
25. A pigeon to be scored good must be killed upon the wing, unless
the second barrel is used.
One person only must retrieve the
bird, and must not employ any instrument to effect it.
19.

If the

MODERN SHOT

GUNS.

All pigeons declared doubtful, that is to say, those which may be

supposed to have sufficient strength to fly, although wounded,
must, if one of the competitors demand it, be gathered immediately to be scored "killed."
shall perch or settle on any
27. Every pigeon that, after being shot,
tree, post, bar in the enclosure, or on the boundary rail, is scored
lost unless it falls dead within the enclosure before the next

26.

shooter
28.

The

fires.

fallen

home.

pigeon

not scored until it is gathered and brought

falling into the pool are scored good unless
from the enclosure before the next shooter has
is

The pigeons

they rise and

fly

fired his first barrel.

shooter who leaves the mark after firing the first barrel loses
the right of using his second.
30. All pigeons shot at behind the diagonal line of banners, whether
killed or missed, are scored as lost to the shooter.
31. Each trap bears a number, and it is entirely dependent upon
chance which trap is used.
32. In the handicaps, matches, and other shooting in which the bore
and the load are specified, every shooter having used a gun of a
different gauge or a different charge is excluded from that match,
And every shooter convicted of
and loses his entrance-fee.
having shot at a less distance than the one fixed for him loses his
29.

The

right to the stakes or prize.

The

standard gauge from which all the distances are calculated is

the i2-bore.
-bores go back half a metre; the 10 bore one
metre.
On the other hand, i4-bores advance half a metre, and
the i6-bores one metre.
Any gauge larger than ten is excluded,
and no further advantage is allowed to any gun of less than i6-bore.
34. From 10 a.m. to noon, and from i p.m. to 2 p.m., the shooting is
Each person shoots in turn, the distances and the gauges
free.
not being fixed. From 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. the shooting is exclusively reserved to sweepstakes.
commission of five per cent, is reserved on all sweepstakes and
35.
wagers, but in matches between two shooters only the five per
cent, commission will be charged on half the amount of stakes

33.

only.

The extreme

distance in shooting for stakes is fixed at 30 metres

(33 yards) ; but the referee may augment it in the case of acknowledged superior shooting.
37. In shooting for sweepstakes at several pigeons, every shooter who
may arrive after the shooting has commenced may enter, provided always that he scores as bad his pigeon or pigeons in the
rounds finished before his arrival. For stakes at one pigeon only,
no one can enter after the first round is concluded.
36.

LIVE BIRD SHOOTING.

38.

177

The winner

of a stake amounting to 10 louis, free from all comif the

missions, his entrance-fee included, goes back two metres
This distance is imposed for the day
stake is less, one metre.
;

only.
39.

The same

shooter cannot be put back more than three metres the

same

day, although he may gain several stakes.

40. If the winner of a stake amounting to 10 louis, his entrance-fee
included, is already shooting at thirty metres, he stays at that
distance,
prize

and the other shooters advance two metres or, if the

one metre. By this rule, however, the shooter may
;

is less,

be put back to thirty-two metres instead.

Each shooter has his name written in a book placed on the stand,
and the distance varies according to the judgment of the referees,
who modify them according to their observations. Their de-

41.

cisions are without appeal.

for shooting are fixed

The days

42.

at the

by the committee, and may be seen

Cercle des Patineurs or at the principal clubs of Paris.
FINES.

1.

2.

3.

100 frs. (^4), for shooting at a passing pigeon or other bird.

20 to TOO frs., for every shot fired behind the diagonal line of
banners ; same fine for shooting the second barrel after leaving
the mark.
20 frs., for carrying a gun about the enclosure, unless called upon to
shoot.

4.
5.

6.

20 frs., if the shooter receives or replaces his gun loaded and cocked.
Muzzle-loaders must be given to the shooter at half cock, or the
armourer fined 20 frs.
Breech-loaders to be loaded at the mark, with the barrels toward
the traps, and when the trappers have returned to their places,
the shooter or the armourer not conforming to this rule will be
liable to a fine of 200 frs.

BOUNDARIES.

The Hurlingham Club boundary is 90 yards from the centre trap,

measured in a straight line.
The Gun Club boundary is 65 yards in a straight line from the centre
trap, and is a solid fence about nine feet in height.
The Monaco boundary is 1 7 metres (about 1 8f yards) from the centre
The fence is of open wire trellis, and about
trap, and is semicircular.
3 feet 6 inches in height.

The

usual boundary

is

80 yards from the centre

straight line.

The Monaco boundary

leads to snap shooting.

trap,

measured

in

MODERN SHOT GUNS.

178

PIGEONS AND TRAPS.

The pigeon generally employed for trap purposes is known as the Blue
Rock. The best variety, the Lincolnshire Tin Blue Rock, retain the wild
nature of the common blue Coast Pigeon.
They are fed in Lincolnshire by
the farmers in winter time, who also raise cotes for them at a good distance
from their other buildings, as the wilder the birds and the nearer the coast
The true Tin Blue
they are raised the stronger and more hardy they are.
Rocks afford the best sport, and are much the hardest to kill, being small
in the body, quick in flight at starting, tough in their nature, and game to
the death, especially the hens.

The Coast Pigeon (Blue Rock).

Other Blue Rocks are bred in Oxfordshire

quantities, but are inferior to the Lincoln birds.
Many of the so-called Blue Rocks are also

and Yorkshire

in

large

imported from Antwerp

in

the greater portion of the

pigeons used for trap shooting are brought
over from that port, and sold here as Tin Rocks.
Some years ago a
number of Tin Rocks were
to France and
for
fact,,

exported

and

Belgium

breeding

their offspring is now imported ; the

foreign climate has not
improved them, as they possess little of the gameness peculiar to the
English bird.

purposes,

The

real

Rock

speckled Rocks.

is

not always of the same marking

there are light

and

LIVE
The
chiefly

SHOOTING.

179

next best bird to the Blue Rock is the English Skimmer, which is
at the second-rate clubs ; and then true Antwerp pigeons.

employed

set of pigeon traps and pulling apparatus will cost about

^"35.
Particulars may be obtained of Mr. Brown, of Nunhead, London.
single
All
2.
trap for practice with home-reared pigeons may be purchased for

spring traps, plunge traps, &c., are of no use, and should not be tolerated
match of any importance, nor allowed in a club.

in a

Leavemvorth Trap.

Leavenwortli Trap, Open.

For private practice the " Leavenworth trap, as illustrated here, is the
best to force the pigeon to take wing at once, and it is a perfect trap for use
with untrained pigeons.
The author will be pleased to furnish particulars
of this trap to any person desiring them, but no trap will make tame birds
take flight like the wild, strong Rock pigeon, or as the trained pigeons of
the best purveyors.
:>

MODERN SHOT

i8o

GUNS.

THE BEST RECORDS.

"

" Blue

of the trap is the Triennial

Ribbon
Undoubtedly the
in 1886, and
H.
Mr.
Cholmondeley-Pennell
Universel,w\\
by
Championnat
Both winners used Greener Guns.
again by Mr. Blake in 1889.
The winners of the Grand Prix du Casino must also be considered
amongst the best of trap shooters. This match is contested for by the best
trap shots of all nations, and the birds are supplied by one of the most
esteemed purveyors, whilst the Monaco boundary is acknowledged to be

much

in favour of the bird.

The

contest extending over several days also

necessitates careful shooting over an extended period, and to kill thirteen

consecutive birds without a miss, firing only at long intervals, is evidence

of the ability of the marksman.

The

following gentlemen have

won

Winner of the Grand

Prix.

Year.

1872
1873
1874
1875
1876
1877
1878
1879
1880
1 88 1
1882
1883
1884
1885
1886
1887
1888

the

Grand

Prix

du Casino

Mr. George L. Lorillard (American).

Mr. J. Jee, V.C., C.B. (English).

Wm.

Sir

Call, Bart. (English).

Captain Aubrey Patton (English).

Captain Aubrey Patton (English).
Mr. W. Arundel Yeo (English).
Mr. H. Cholmondeley-Pennell (English)
Mr. E. R. G. Hopwood (English).
Comte Michel Esterhazy (Hungarian).
M. G. Camaueur (Belgian).

Comte de

St. Quentin (French).

Mr. H. T. Roberts (English).
Le Comte de Caspela (Italian).
M. Leon de Dorlodot (Belgian).

Signor Guidicini (Italian).

Count Salina (Italian).
Mr. C. Seaton (English).

1889 Mr. V. Dicks (English).

1890 Signor Guidicini (Italian).
Both in 1887 and 1888 the killing of twelve birds without a miss
the

Grand

won

Prix.

MATCH SHOOTING.
Perhaps the best score on record is that of Captain A. H. Bogardus,
who on July 2nd, 1880, succeeded in scoring 99 birds out of the 100, the
47th bird falling dead out of bounds. This extraordinary score was made
in a match with Mr. Rimmell, an
English gentleman, for 250 dollars aside.
Bogardus, 30
in

Rimmell, 28 yds.

good condition.

100 birds,

5 traps,

weather

fair,

and birds

LIVE BIRD SHOOTING.

181

The Captain used an English hammerless gun, and loaded with Dittmar
powder in the first and orange lightning, No. 6, in the second barrel.
Rimmell used the orange lightning powder, and both were restricted to
i-J

oz. shot.

The American birds are inferior to English Tin Blue Rock pigeons, and
pigeons are much stronger, wilder, and sharper in the early spring and
winter than in summer.

all

Captain Bogardus, when in England, although shooting several matches,

never approached the score just mentioned the best performances being in
a match with Mr. Dudley Ward, who shot a tie with him, each scoring 84
out of 100.
Mr. Ward won in shooting off this match.
The match with Mr. Wallace, at the Gun Club Grounds, shot July iQth,
The
1878, resulted in a tie, each shooter scoring 69 birds out of 100.
following Wednesday the tie was shot off, resulting in a win for Mr. Wallace,
he killing 7 1 birds to the Captain's 69.
On July the 23rd, in the same year,
the Captain shot a match with Mr. H. Cholmondeley-Pennell at the same
;

the scores being

;
Captain Bogardus, 7 1 ; Mr. CholmondeleyPennell, 69. These scores are amongst the best ever made in England.
Dr. Carver made several matches with the best trap shots of England.
He was beaten once by Mr. Heygate, of The Gun Club, in a match
of 25 birds a side.
Dr. Carver tied with Mr. A. J. Stuart- Wortley in a match for ^500 a
side, shot at the Hendon Ground, December 8th, 1882
score, 83 each.
This match was the more exciting from the fact that at the 5oth bird the
scores were equal, as they were again several times during the last part of
the match and at the finish.

grounds

On February 7th, 1881, a match was shot off at the "Welsh Harp,"
Hendon, between Dr. Carver and Mr. W. Scott, a celebrated English wing
shot.
Dr. Carver used throughout the match a Greener Choke-bore Gun.
Mr. Scott also used a Greener, but after the match commenced shot with
the Greener and a London gun irregularly.
The score was Dr. Carver,
66 birds Mr. Scott, 62. The stakes amounted to ^400. The birds were
the finest and quickest seen during the winter, and the weather was vile the
greater part of the match being shot in a blinding snowstorm, and a driving
;

squall from the south-west.

In 1884 Dr. Carver and Captain Bogardus met and contested three
matches.
The first at Louisville, Ky., U.S.A. (100 birds, 30 yards rise,
80 yards boundary, Hurlingham Rules) ; score Carver, 83 ; Bogardus, 82.
The second at Chicago, 111., U.S.A., same conditions as in the first match
Carver, 82 ; Bogardus, 79 ; at the 8oth bird the scores were even, and
remained so until the 9oth, when Carver killed all his succeeding birds, and
won a well-contested match by 3 birds. Third match at St. Louis, Mo.,
U.S.A. (50 double rises at 21 yards); score Bogardus, 81
Carver, 79.
Some close, sharp shooting was exhibited in a match at the Carterct
Grounds, Bergen Point, N.I., U.S.A., shot on the i9th of January, 1888,
:

MODERN SHOT

82

GUNS.

between Mr. C. Floyd Jones and Mr. Edgar C. Murphy. The match was shot
under Hurlingham Rules, at 30 yards rise, 21 yards boundary. The wind
was fresh and blowing across the grounds from the left, and the birds are
F. Jones, 78 ; Murphy, 77.
Both shooters
said to have been good. Score
used light i2-bore English hammerless guns, and Schultze powder, and the
It is worth recording
time occupied was only 2 hours and 32 minutes.
that although in matches where the two shooters shoot alternately 20 birds
without a miss have been scored repeatedly, it is rarely that in one handicap,
or several largely attended handicaps, any shooter will score this number
Dr. Carver's string of 50 birds, killed straight off, which he
without a miss.
accomplished at Lynchburg, Va., U.S.A., with a Greener 7^ Ib. i2-bore gun,
is his best on record in this line.
A final contest for the Championship of England Cup took place at
Hendon on July 3rd, 1888, and resulted in a win for Captain Brewer, who
killed 24 out of 25 birds, at 30 yards rise, and having thrice consecutively
gained the prize against all comers, claimed the trophy as his own.
Captain Brewer used a Greener gun in all contests.
In the contest for the American Field Champion Wing Shot Cup, 1890,
Mr. Elliott, the holder, successfully defended it with a Greener gun,
scoring 59 out of 60, 48 out of 50, and 94 out of 100 birds.
In Melbourne the Grand National Handicap was won with nine birds
Both the winner and proxime accessit used Greener
grassed in succession.
guns as did also the winners of the Bathurst Champion Handicap, the
Melbourne Challenge Cup, and the Melbourne Cup, the chief events of
;

the Australasian pigeon-shooting tournaments.

SECTION

II.

INANIMATE TARGETS.
As a

pastime, the shooting at glass balls or bottles has long been practised
was developed and made a fashionable amusement in
the United States by Mr. Ira Payne, Captain Bogardus, Dr. Carver, and
other professional shots.
in this country, but

The inanimate
classes

balls

targets

now

in

use

may be

divided into two distinct

and "pigeons."

The balls, at first plain hollow spheres of colourless glass, were afterwards made of blue or amber glass, and filled with feathers ; later the
spheres were chequered to prevent the shot from glancing, and this stage
Balls made of
of development is the highest reached by the glass ball.
various resinous compositions have been tried, and have a certain sale, but
as there is difficulty in getting them sufficiently brittle they have not
Other plans have been tried, as bell
generally supplanted the glass balls.
balls, puff balls, explosive balls, &c., but they have not proved successes
commercially.

From
traps to throw the balls have been wonderfully developed.
modified catapult used at English fairs they have advanced to a

The
the

The "Carver" Revolving Trap.

which simply defies trickery on the part of the trap-puller or

The " Hatch " Trap was one of the first popular traps, then
followed the Bogardus (illustrated here), the Carver, with a coil spring,
instead of the flat coach spring of the Bogardus pattern, and then several
"
"
Mole and the " Card " are perhaps the
revolving traps, of which the
best known.
The " Card " rotating trap will throw in any direction except towards
the shooter, and is a simple and efficient machine.
rotating trap,
his assistant.

MODERN SHOT GUNS.

184

The
and the

flight of a glass or other ball being inferior to that of a pigeon,

traps failing to throw them so that they cannot be easily smashed

CARD'S

The " Bogardus

"

Trap.

1:1

'STANDARD

The " Card " Trap.

flat skimming targets were introduced

This form of inanimate target is said to have
originated from the "Bussey Gyro," which was introduced about 1866, and
made but little progress in popularity.
The Ligousky Clay Pigeon, which is now well known, is a moulded
clay saucer, to which a paper tongue is attached, and the saucer is held
by this tongue in the clamp of a specially constructed trap. When the
trap is sprung the pigeon may be sent, almost horizontally, skimming
through the air at a fair speed. This trap has had a large success, and its
prominent features will at once be learned from a glance at the adjoined

by a
to

fair

shot at

all

ordinary ranges,

afford better practice.

illustration.

The broken pieces of burnt clay are as indestructible as pieces of glass,

and have been objected to by country gentlemen on that account, but the

made by Messrs. Kynoch & Co., of Witton,

with this trap, and as they fly better than the clay pigeons,
and are easily gathered, their use. may be recommended.
These pigeons are made upon the same principle as the puff balls
already mentioned ; they are more symmetrical than the clay pigeons,
The base is of cardboard, and is firmly
being stamped out of sheet brass.
fixed by turning over the brass rim.
The pigeons are filled with fine
charcoal, and emit a cloud of dust when struck, and if fairly hit this is
The double pigeons have not such a rapid flight as the
easily discernible.
single ones, and are made wholly of brass.
Bran puff balls made in two hemispheres, on the same principle are
also to be obtained of Messrs.
Kynoch, and they are more economical to
use for practice than glass or composite balls.

single or double brass pigeons

may be used

INANIMATE TARGETS.

185

The "Blackbird"

variety of targets is composed of such mixtures as

ashes, or rosin and plaster, and the materials are worked into
shape in a semi-liquid form, in much the same manner as potters fashion
Some of these birds are objectionable from the dull
clay on the wheel.
black colour, and as the packing required is excessive, heavy bills for

pitch

and

carriage

and numerous breakages during transportation have been the

rule.

The Ligousky Clay Pigeon Trap.

"

"

It will be seen
Blackbird and trap are illustrated here,
bird," instead of having a tongue cemented to it, has two ears
projecting from the solid body of the target, and these projections are not
likely to be broken off in transit, or by careless trapping.

The

that the

"

Peoria

MODERN SHOT GUNS.

86

The "Niagara" Blackbird, the "Acme" (feather-filled) pigeons, the

"Standard" targets, and others are of this type.

The

'

Peoria

"

Blackbird and Trap.

"
"
Blue Rock Pigeon differs from most targets of the above descripinasmuch as it is made by pressure, the top is connected to the sides
by a film-like connection, and this permits of the targets being so strongly
made that breakages during transit are reduced to a minimum, whilst the
The target, of a deep black, has
target is shattered if struck by one shot.

The

tion,

a yellow crown,

making

it

readily discernible against any background.

The Blue Rock Pigeon.

The trap used for the Blue Rock Pigeon is so constructed that it
imparts to the thrown target a high rotary motion, and at the same time
throws it with little friction.
The trap also so throws the target that it has
a steady flight and a good velocity, which is not perceptibly greater at the
commencement than at the end of the flight.
The American traps are usually made with interchangeable parts, and
are carefully fitted.

INAXIM.
There are
holding-down

'/'/

TA AV;/-: y.v.

87

certain accessories necessary, such as cords, planks, and

and clubs will also provide themselves with pulling

pins,

The Blue Rock Trap.

and whether using three or five traps, will decide upon a definite
;
method of determining in which order the traps shall be sprung. The use

gear

of dice or a trap-pulling indicator will effectually prevent collusion between

the shooter and puller.
The following rules are those generally observed in inanimate target
shooting, and with little or no alteration may be applied to matches with
any number of traps
:

RULES FOR INANIMATE TARGET SHOOTING.

i.

DECISION OF JUDGES.
pointed to judge

all

referee shall decide,

2.

3.

Two judges and a referee shall be apIf the judges cannot agree, the
matches.

and

his decision shall

SPECIAL DUTIES OF REFEREE.

be

final.

The

referee shall see that the

traps are properly set at the beginning of a match, and that they
are kept in order to the finish.

FLAGS FOR JUDGES. Each judge shall be provided with a red flag
and a white flag. They shall raise the red flag to indicate a
"
"
broken " bird, and the white flag to indicate " lost bird they
shall raise both flags to indicate "no bird" or an imperfect bird
they shall also announce the score in a loud voice.
KEEPING THE SCORE. It shall be optional with the judges and
referee to keep the score themselves, or appoint some one for
that purpose, and the score thus kept shall be the official score,
provided, however, that the referee must testify to the correctness
;

4.

made under his supervision if required.

All scoring shall be done with ink or indelible
"
"
o;
pencil ; the scoring of a lost bird shall be indicated by an
of a dead or broken bird by an " i."
of the score or scores

5.

SCORE WITH INK.

MODERN SHOT

88

GUNS.

All matches shall be shot from three traps set level, in

The radius of this circle
the segment of a circle five yards apart.
The traps shall be numbered from No.
shall be eighteen yards.
All traps must
i on the left to No. 3 on the right consecutively.
throw the birds a distance of not less than forty yards.
Each trap must be tested for this standard distance before the shooting begins, and if any trap be found too weak to throw the
required distance, a new trap or spring must be substituted.
ADJUSTING TRAPS. The lever or projecting arm of the trap shall
7.
be so adjusted that the elevation of the bird in its flight at a
6.

TRAPS.

distance often yards from the trap shall not be more than eight
nor less than four feet, and the angles of flight shall be as
follows
No. i trap shall be set to throw a left quartering bird.
feet

No. 2 trap
No. 3 trap

shall
shall

be
be

set to

set to

throw a straight away bird.

throw a right quartering bird.

o
SHOOTER.

Diagram showing Position of Traps, and Directions

After the traps are set for the above
angles,

for

if

Throwing

Birds.

the bird for any reason

xi MATE TARGETS.

8.

189

shall take a different angle, it shall be considered a fair bird,

provided the trap has not been changed.
PULLING OF TRAPS. The trap-puller shall stand at least six feet
behind the shooter, and when the shooter calls " Pull," the trap
or traps shall be instantly sprung.
In single bird shooting he
should pull the traps indiscriminately, and not one, two, and three

He shall pull equally and regularly for all shooters.

consecutively.
If the bird is sprung before, or at any noticeable interval after the
shooter calls " Pull," he can accept the bird or not, but if he
shoots the result shall be scored.
SCREENS. No screens shall be used. Back-stops may be pro9.
vided for trappers, not to exceed ten yards from the end traps,
and not to exceed three feet in height.
10.
DISTANCE. In single bird shooting the rise shall be 18 yards
for lo-bore guns, 16 yards for i2-bore guns.
In
shooting the rise shall be 15 yards for lo-bore guns,

double bird
14 yards for

i2-bore guns.
All distances mentioned in these rules must be accurate measurement.
ii.
GUN. No gun of larger calibre than lo-bore shall be used.
12.
LOADING GUNS. In single bird shooting only one barrel shall

be loaded at a time, and the cartridge shall not be placed in the

barrel until after the shooter has taken his position at the score
in double bird shooting both barrels to be loaded at the score.
POSITION OF GUN. The butt of the gun shall be held below the
" Pull."
If this rule be violated,
armpit until the shooter calls
and the bird is missed, it shall be scored as a " lost bird." If it
be broken, it shall be declared " no bird," and another shall be
;

13.

shot
14.

at.

BROKEN

BIRDS.
bird to be scored broken must have a perThe decision of
ceptible piece broken from it while in the air.
the judges and referee on this point shall be final.
No bird shall

be retrieved to be examined for shot marks.

be broken by the trap, the shooter may claim another bird,
but if he shoots, the result must be scored.
SINGLE BIRD SHOOTING. Each contestant shall shoot at three
15.
If two birds are sprung at the
birds before leaving the score.
same time, it shall be declared "no bird."
1 6.
DOUBLE BIRD SHOOTING. Both traps must be pulled simultaneously, and each contestant shall shoot at three pairs consecutively, thrown as follows
First pair from No. i and 2 traps.
Second pair from No. 2 and 3
If only one bird is
traps, and third pair from No. i and 3 traps.
thrown it shall be declared " no birds," and if the gun miss fire
on either bird it shall be declared "no birds." In each and all
such cases another pair of birds must be shot at.
If a bird

MODERN SHOT

90
17.

GUNS.

TIE SHOOTING. All ties shall be shot off at the original distance
and at the number of birds agreed on by the contestants. If,
however, the contestants cannot agree promptly on this point, the
The
referee shall fix the number, and his decision shall be final.
rules prescribed for single and double bird shooting shall prevail
in tie shooting.

1 8.

CHALLENGE.

No

challenge

shall

be considered, unless the

parties challenging are contestants.

THE BEST RECORDS.

much higher than

According to a list recently
anything obtained from live bird shooting.
published there are more than a dozen shooters in the United States who
have broken TOO of the inanimate targets without a miss, and the score
made and recorded at a public competition. Upwards of fifty shooters
have scored more than 90 out of 100.
"Young Nimrod," an English boy, has, with his 28-bore gun and f oz.
of shot, frequently scored 88-100 at clay pigeons.
In a series of twenty-five matches, at 100 clay pigeons each at each
match, between Dr. Carver and Capt. Bogardus, 2,227 were broken by Dr.
Dr. Carver made
Carver, and 2,103 by Capt. Bogardus at 18 yards' rise.
two scores of 100 each without a miss, and won nineteen matches, tied in
three, and lost three. His lowest score was the first
72 ; and twenty of his
scores exceeded 90 broken.
Capt. Bogardus once scored 99, his highest,
.and three times 63, his lowest in this series of matches.
At glass balls still less skill is required; but the best record is Mr.
Scott's
700 smashed consecutively with a Greener Gun. Dr. Carver, in a
match with Mr. Scott, broke 9,737 out of 9,950 shot at; Mr. Scott 9,735
out of the same number.
Out of the last 950 in this match Dr. Carver
missed two only, and Mr. Scott three.
The quickest time recorded for breaking 100 glass balls with a shot
gun is just under five minutes. Capt. H. Bogardus, the great American
wing shot, made a match against time in December, 1^79, and succeeded
in breaking 5,500 glass balls in a few seconds less than 7 hours 20 minutes.
The misses numbered 356. The Captain used an English gun with two
one pair (lo-bore) shooting 4 drams of powder and
pairs of barrels
ij oz. of No. 8 shot ; the i2-bore pair were loaded with 3! drams and
i oz. of No. 8 shot.
During the match the Captain loaded for himself,
and changed the barrels no less than fifty-five times. Three miss-fires only
occurred in the whole series of 5,855 shots.
The balls were all sprung
The

best records

made

at inanimate targets are very

from spring

traps.

HINTS ON TRAP SHOOTING.

However
Trap shooting cannot be recommended as a profession.
good a shot a sportsman may be he will find so many uncertainties in trap

shooting that

it

is

\ANIMATE TARGETS.

doubtful

if

any person shooting continually

191
will

make

trap shooting pay expenses.

At an ordinary

bird, shot at under Hurlingham rules by an

five to two in favour of the shooter.

average
To be
considered a good shot, the number of kills must average more than
Mr. "Grace," at one time considered a reliable shot, with
70 per cent.
a Greener Gun once scored a percentage of 84*3 kills in a series of International contests.
Other shooters have occasionally made a higher percentage in a short series of matches.
In a series of International matches, out of 1,120 birds shot at by
thirty-six different shooters, 79*9 per cent, were killed, and this is about the

good

shot, the

chances are

average in matches between

first-rate shots.

The

following hints may be of use to young shooters who wish to try

their skill in trap shooting
Commence at a short distance say 18 yards
at live birds ; stand in an easy position, gripping the gun well forward
with the left hand.
This is a great aid in quick shooting.
Do not stare at
the trap which you think will give the most difficult shot to you, and if you
do not particularly regard any trap so much the better. Do not say " Pull "
until you are quite ready to shoot, and have your attention concentrated
upon what you are about to do. When the bird gets up, up with the gun
quickly but steadily, and immediately you have it in place at the shoulder it
should be aligned at the bird, and the trigger pulled.
Pigeon guns are so
constructed that at 40 yards' range they will throw the body of the charge
a few inches higher than the line of aim, consequently, at any distance up
to 45 yards you will have the advantage over a bird rising in flight.
When shooting at 30 yards' rise this quality of the gun will be the more
requisite, as to be a sure trap shot you will require generally to kill your
pigeon within four or five yards of the trap, and for that distance the
pigeon generally rises, and if he does not do so immediately will in all
The happy medium
probability do so long before he is out of range.
between snapping just over the trap and "poking" after the pigeon must
:

be sought.
In choosing a gun all will depend upon the rules under which it will be
used, but it may be said that as a rule a gun of 7^ Ibs. will be the thing.
Let it be taken from the rack just before going to the mark, and let a
point be made of loading and cocking it methodically.
Quite a large
number of birds are scored lost every year because the shooter has
forgotten to cock his gun, move the safety off, or some other cause equally
easy to prevent.
It is

no heed either of bystanders or trappers when going

"
one can be quite deaf to the shouts from the " ring

best to take

to the mark,

the score

is

and

if

likely to benefit.

In contending in a handicap it is the time spent in waiting between the

rounds that tires and tries nerve and patience. At Monte Carlo a man
may have to fire but nine times, and possibly have the whole of two

MODERN SHOT

^2

GUNS.

afternoons in which to do it.

Very much, therefore, will depend upon the
In contesting a match at 100 birds it must
shooter.
the
of
temperament
be remembered that the task will be trying to endurance ; and if a light
gun can be found which suits as well as a heavy one, the use of it will
enhance the shooter's chance of success. The shortest time occupied by
the match will be two hours and a half, and it may drag along for double
that time.

In match shooting the percentage of birds killed will be greater than in

handicap shooting, and unless the shooter knows by experience or former
birds out of 100, he will do
practice that he can kill on the average 90
best not to contest a match with the best shots of the day.
Drive straight to the shooting-ground, so as to arrive at the time the
Waste no time in plating your gun.
shooting is advertised to commence.
If the results of the shooting at the target should not please you, you will
You should ascertain that
lose confidence in your gun and gain nothing.
the gun shoots well, and that the cartridges are suitably loaded before you
Keep yourself to the matter in hand, and pay
get to the shooting-ground.
no attention either to the remarks of other contestants or the "betting."
Having won or lost, leave the ground at once. Unless the ground is one
not often visited, trial shots before the serious shooting commences are not
to be recommended.
Upon visiting a town for the purpose of contesting
the International Tournaments it is best to lodge at some distance from
the shooting-ground, and to go there only so often as the business of the
contests may require.
Nothing is gained by constantly hanging about in
You
the vicinity of the shooting-ground, nor by experimenting upon it.
should go to the ground to kill every bird at which you shoot ; you must

and experiment upon a private ground elsewhere.

experience will soon prove to the young shooter whether it is
best to take or leave a pigeon which does not rise immediately the trap is
sprung, and in other ways how to win, providing he is a good shot, and
can keep in perfect health.
practise

little

APPENDIX.
STERLING

fH' STEEL.

STERLING STEEL AND HOMOGENEOUS METAL FOR GUN BARRELS.

APART from

the question as to which metal is the best for shot-gun

possible to consider the merits of steel and iron alloys as
material suitable for manufacture into gun barrels.
Steel of good quality has been proved to possess sufficient strength to
resist the strain to which a shot-gun barrel is ordinarily subjected, and
Messrs. Whitworth, by careful manufacture, have turned out barrels of a
uniform quality of excellence.
barrels,

it

is

The question of steel as a suitable metal for gun barrels has occupied
the attention of gunmakers for several years, and after many experiments,
a superior description of steel -possessing valuable qualities has been
"
adopted.
Sterling Steel" is the name given to it by the author.
The mode of manufacturing is not to draw the steel at all, as generally
understood, but to forge out the barrel into a solid rod, and afterwards
drill the whole length.
Barrels so made are of close metal, stronger and
denser than any obtainable by other means.
The " Sterling Steel " recommended is made of a homogeneous metal,
of very fine quality, and admirably adapted by its great tenacity, or tensile
It has been thoroughly tested by the
strength, for use in gun barrels.
author, as well as at the Government Proof House, with very heavy charges,
viz., 28 drachms of powder and 4^ ounces of shot, this charge being equal
to seven ordinary charges of powder and four charges of shot.
This test
and many others it withstands perfectly.
"
"
barrels are of sufficient strength for all practical purSterling Steel
and
in
poses,
only
appearance are they at a disadvantage when compared
with twisted Damascus and laminated steel barrels.
"
Unlike "cast-steel" barrels of the old type, " Sterling Steel barrels bulge
instead of breaking, and increased strain produces an open burst similar to
that of a welded barrel instead of a sharp break or a longitudinal rip as is
found to result with imperfect steel barrels. The quality of the metal is
such that it will stand successively more than double the strain to which a
"
"
or
sportsman can submit his gun with fair usage. And it will not
rip
"
crack," however sharp may be the explosive used.
Good steel barrels have the following advantages over the Damascus
barrels
they are less liable to honeycomb from the corrosive action of gun:

MODERN SHOT

196

GUNS.

powder, they are not so easily bent from rough usage as twisted barrels,
and being harder are not so likely to be injured when accidentally dropped.
Many guns have been ruined by this cause alone.
There being no welds in these barrels they are absolutely free from
They may be relied upon as being equal
greys or flaws of any description.
and further, they do
to those manufactured by the Whitworth Company
not add to the cost of the gun, whereas Whitworth barrels cost more, and
"Sterling Steel" is always obtainable without the annoying delays which
often result when a special barrel is required of Whitworth metal.
The bulges were caused by placing a small charge of shot between two
felt wads (first a thick felt, then the shot, then the thin felt) at the spot
where the bulges are, and firing an ordinary charge from the gun.
;

The burst was effected by increasing the charge of shot between the
wads, the bulges appeared about fifteen inches from the breech end after
firing.

As many

wads may be placed in any part of the barrel,

without causing a bulge, but we find by experiments that
even the small quantity of J oz. shot placed between wads at any place in
the barrel, will cause a bulge even as near as nine inches from the breech.
The different sizes of the bulges in the illustration were caused by different
The shape of the burst -indicates the extent of bulging
charges of shot.
and the gun

as five thick

fired

before bursting.
The illustration is reduced to half-size.
As to the shooting qualities of steel barrels, it is not claimed that they
shoot better than those of ordinary gun iron, as good shooting is only

obtained by skill in boring, but steel being harder, they should retain their
Other steels may posshooting qualities longer than those of softer metal.
sess the tenacity required of the material for shot
gun barrels, but none
have yet proved so reliable.
The alloys of iron, manganese steel, nickel
steel, aluminium steel, and other materials possessing essential features are
not yet made of such uniform quality as will admit of their adoption by
gunmakers of reputation for making into shot-gun barrels, although undoubtedly of such an alloy the guns and rifles of the future will be
manufactured.

"
Sterling Steel."
Bulges and burst in a Barrel of

'97

"THE 'GREENER' SHOT COUNTER.'

Further particulars of the " Greener shot counter," mentioned at page
146, have been so frequently demanded that the adjoined illustration and
description of this simple contrivance will doubtless be welcomed by those
cartridge loaders to whom the machine is still unknown.
By drilling holes of the requisite size and depth in a sheet of hard
brass, a species of trowel is formed, in which the pellets of shot will stick
when the trowel is forced into a mass of shot and slowly withdrawn. For
'

'

the use of sportsmen a pattern is now made, with a sliding cover, by which
the number of holes exposed in the trowel may be varied, according to the
charge of shot it is wished to load into the cartridge.
As already stated, the charge of shot is in this manner regulated by
number 270 pellets of No. 6 weigh one ounce, and in good shot if this
number should turn the scale, it will be found that 269 will not ; 304 holes
for 304 pellets are allowed for the i J oz., or standard charge, and beyond
this charge the graduation may be varied with the greatest nicety.
In order to obtain exact results it is absolutely necessary that the same
number of pellets are loaded into the cartridges if the number varies
although the weight of the charge may not there will be a variation in
;

MODERN SHOT

198

GUNS.

the pattern, which will probably prove misleading, and as it is easily

avoidable by usir g the counting trowel, the weighing of charges of shot
should be discontinued.
The use of the trowel with a plentiful supply of shot, and the specially
made square, or ribbed, tundish, enables any one to load cartridges accurately with great speed and ease, and it is a method far in advance of any
A glance at the trowel as
system of weighing or measuring shot charges.
it is withdrawn filled from the shot-box will show whether any undersized
or misshapen pellet is on the trowel, any irregularity in size, shape, or
number of the ellets being instantly discernible, as each pellet occupies a
separate cell and is seen distinctly.
The price, with box, tundish, and stand, is so trifling viz., 2 is. that
every one who loads cartridges should give this method of loading a trial.
It will be found satisfactory, and a properly made trowel will load millions
of cartridges before the holes become so worn that it has to be discarded.
\

THE GIFFARD GUN.

This weapon, about which so much has of late been said and written,
a French invention.
M. Giffard, whose chemical and mechanical experiments have always been regarded with interest, has long sought to utilise
carbonic acid gas as a force for the propulsion of rifle projectiles.
Having
succeeded in liquefying the gas, and being fully conversant with its properties of expansion, he substituted a reservoir of liquefied gas for the
is

receiver of the old and well known air-gun.

The fall of the hammer upon
pulling the trigger of the lock, liberates a small quantity of the liquefied

when in contact with the air, expands to its fullest extent with
the force of an explosive, and propels the bullet, pellets, or whatever proWhen exhausted, the reservoir is
jectile may be placed in the barrel.
detached from the gun and replaced by another.
gas, which,

The reservoirs must be filled at the factory, and the gas specially
prepared.
At present the invention has not passed the experimental stage, and it
would be rash to predict either that the Giffard system will supersede firearms, or that the sporting-gun has nothing to fear from its new competitor.

INDEX.
Choke-bore
Aligning of guns, 50, 52, 130.
Allport's double-grip hammerless gun,

and repairs, 137, 142.

Ammunition and accessories, 148

18.

Alterations

Analytical section, 31

et seq.

et seq.

Anson and Deeley hammerless gun,

iS.

Anti-recoil pad, 52.

Balance of gun, 45, 92, 131.

Ball guns, 105.
Belgian Damascus barrels, 33, no.
Best gun, 120.
Best records at match shooting, 180, 190.
Birmingham-made guns, 126.
Bore, 56.
Boring gun-barrels, 35.

133.

gun, 28.

Concentrators, 103.
Critical section, 109 et
seq.
Criticism, 116.
Cross-bolt, 115.

Cylinder and choke-bore, 37, 127, 128.

D
Damascus barrels, 33.
Daw's central fire gun,
Descriptive section, 7

Dummy gun,

4.

et seq.

131.

Early guns, I.
Early hammerless guns,
Ejector guns, 22 et seq.

Calibre, 56.

Care of gun, 136.

Carrying gun, 134.

37.

Comb lever

Doll's head gun, 10.

Double grip gun, 7.
Duck gun, 94 et seq.

Bullets in shot gun, 105.

Bursting strain of gun-barrels, 64.
Butt plate, 52, 131.

Charges, 57, 126, 142.

Cheek pad, 52.
Choice of a gun, 109, 117, 131

Combined gun,

16, 18.

171.

Deeley ejector gun, 25.

Breech action, 37, 132.

Breech action working parts, 112.
Buckshot, 104, 147.

Chamber,

Club rules, Hurlingham,

Cocking mechanism, 41.

127, 128.

Comparative strengths of powder, 65.

Cartridge cases, 67, 100.

Cartridge cases and wadding, 158
Cartridge chamber, 37.
Cartridge loading, 142.
Cartridge magazine, 165.
Carver, Dr., 47, 115, 128.
Cast off, 45, 51, 131.
Central fire cartridge, 4.

v. cylinder, 37,

Choke-boring, 6, 34, 36.

of gun, 137.
Cleaning
" Club "
hammerless gun,

et seq.

14.

Elephant rifle, 115.

English twist barrels, 1 10.
Erroneous opinions, how spread, 116.
Essentials of a gun, 91.

Experimental breech action,

14.

"Field" trial of explosives, 114.

Finish of guns, 54.
Fit of gun, 130.
Flint-lock gun, I.
Fore-end, 52, 131.
Forsyth, Rev. Dr., 3.

MODERN SHOT

200

G
German horn

GUNS.

Loading

grip, 44.

Greener, W., double muzzle-loader, 2.

Greener, W. W., top bolt, treble wedge

cartridges, 142, 161.

Lock mechanism, 37, 39,

London-made guns, 126.
Long range guns, 102.

133.

fast, 6.
,,

,,

treble

fast

gun, 12.

wedg<

self-acting ejector gun

24.
solid
weldless
twist

,j

patent

,,

barrels, 34.
,,

hammerless wild -fowl

,,

"Make

all

Maker's name upon guns, 125.

Manton's flint-lock gun, 2.
Manufacture of guns, 120.

Mead

Giffard gun, 198.

Gun cases and implements, 164 et seq.
Gun clubs, 1 68, 170.
Gun for buckshot, 104.
Gunpowder, 65, 148.
Gun-room, 147.
Gun trials, 79.

H
Hammer

records, 180.

shells, 105.

Miniature gun, 93.

Modified choke, 34, 143.
Monopeian gun, 52.

N
Needham's

ejector gun, 22.

Newcastle chilled shot, 154.
Nitre compounds, 143, 146.
Novelties, 27, 115.

Oiling gun, 138.

115.

Hints on trap-shooting, 190.

Historical section,
Horn guard, 45.

Packing gun, 138.

et seq.

How erroneous opinions are spread,

How to choose a gun, 120, 132.
How to detect a spurious gun,
121,
How to use the gun, 134.
Hurlingham Club

16.

133.

rules, 171.

Ignition, 89, 162.

Inanimate targets, 183 et seq.

Independent opinions, 92, 104, 118, 119,
129.

India-rubber butt-plate, 52.

Ladies' gun, 93.

Laminated steel barrels, 31.

Leavenworth trap, 179.
Lefaucheux gun and
cartridge,

Parts of the gun, 31 et

seq.
Pattern, 66, 69, 78.
Penetration, 57.
Pigeon gun, 92, 132, 137.
shooting, 167.
shooting rules, 171, 174.
Pigeons and traps, 178.
Pin-fire cartridge, 3.
Pistol grip, 45, 132.
Points to be looked for in a

gun,

1 3

Powder, 65, 148.

Practical section, 134 et
seq.
Prices of guns, 120.
Prizes for pigeon
shooting, 168, 170.
Process of manufacture, 1 20.
Proof of gun-barrels,
et

57
seq.
Purdey's hammerless gun, 19.
Putting gun together, 136.

Killing circle, 84.

Q
Question of price, 120.
3.

Levers, 7, 117.
''Life" cases with
large caps, 67, 161.
Light guns of small calibre, 92.
Live bird shooting, 166.

Loading guns, 135.

125.

sure," 134.

Match shooting

gun, 96.

Gauge, 56.

guns, 7 et seq.
Hammerless guns, 6.
Hammer or hammerless,

If

Machine-made guns, 121,

Magazine gun, 29, 119.

R
Rational gun stock, 47

et seq.

Rebounding locks, 20, 142.

Recoil, 78, 126, 132.
Records of match shooting, 180,
190.
Repairs, 137, 138, 140.

201

INDEX.
Repeating shot guns, 28, 119.
and shot guns, 107.

Rifle

Rifles for live bird shooting, 171.

Rules for inanimate target shooting, 187.

S
Safety bolts, 41, 118, 134.
Scott's hammerless gun, 18.
Self-acting ejector gun, 119.
Semi-hammerless gun, 13.

Target, fixed and moving, 70

Technical section, 56 et seq.
Technicalities, 162.

Top

connection between
breech action, 113.

Top

connection, Importance
"

Top-lever gun, 9.
Treble grip gun, 11.
Treble wedge-fast gun,

Shooter and loader, 135.

Shooting, 57, 143.
Shooting of cylinder and choke-bore guns,

barrels

and

of, 114.

12.

Trap-shooting, 166, 190.

Traps, 179, 183 et seq.

37, 127-

Shot, 154 et scq.

Shot counter, 197.
Shot guns as ball guns, 105.
Shrapnell shot shells, 103.
Side lever gun, 8.
Single gun, 94.

et seq.

Uniformity in quality of shooting, 69, 79,

128.

Velocity, 66 et seq.

Skilled workmanship, 120.

Sling, 55.
Small-bores, 93.
Specifical section, 91 et seg.
Spencer repeating shot gun. 29.
Spurious gun, 125.
Standard charges, 57, 100.
Steel barrels, in.

Wadding, 160.
Walking in line,
Wear-and-tear

134.
128.

trial,

Weights of guns of various bores,

What a gun should do, 100.

Whitworth's fluid compressed

56,

126,

steel barrels,

Sterling Steel, 195.

Stock, 43, 52, 132.
Strain of charge on gun-barrels, 64.
Stringing of a charge of shot, 69.

Wild-fowling gun, 95, 132.

Winchester repeating shot gun, 30.

Stripping and repairing gun, 138.

Workmen,

32-

Wood

pigeons, 93.
120.

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
Allport's double-grip hammerless gun, 15.

Choke-boring, 36.

B
Belgian Damascus

Chamber, 37.
Cheek pad, 55.

"Club" hammerless gun,

Cocking mechanism, 41.

barrels, 33.

Boring gun-barrels, 35.

Breech action, working and bearing parts,

Comb

16.

lever gun, 28.

112.

Bulges and burst in barrel

of

Sterling

Steel, 196.

C
Cartridge chamber, 37.
,,

,,

,,

cases, 158, 159, 162.

loaded for close shooting,
,,

143,
144.
to scatter the shot, 144.

magazine, 165.

Damascus barrels, 31, 32.

Daw's central fire hammer gun,

4.

Decley ejector gun, 25.

DolPs-head gun, 10, 115.
Double grip gun, 7.

E
English Damascus crolle barrel, 32.
,,

single-iron

Damascus

barrel, 32.

MODERN SHOT

202

Pigeon gun, 92.

English scelp barrel, 32.

Experimental breech action, 114.
Export gun, 123.

Flint-lock gun,

GUNS.

Pigeon-shooting, 167.
Pigeons and traps, 178, 179.

Powder, 149.
Purdey's central-fire gun, 5.
hammerless gun, 20.

2.-

Fore-ends, 54.

German horn
Greener's,
Greener's,

R
Royal Gun, 194.

grip, 44.

W., double muzzle-loader, 2.

W. W., treble wedge-fast ham-

Safety-bolts, 42.
Scott's hammerless gun, 19.

merless gun, 20.

,,

,,

,,

,,

self-acting ejector gun,

23, 24.
twist
weldless
solid

,,

,,

laminated

barrel, 33.
silver

,,

hammerless

wild-foul

ing gun, 96.

Gun cases and implements, 164.

Gun Club, The London, 169.
"
Gye" hammerless gun, 26.
Inanimate targets, 183

Shrapnell shot shells, 103.

Side lever gun, 8.
Single wild-fowling gun, 95.
Spencer repeating shot gun, 29.
Stock, English and American, 43.
Belgian, 46.
rational, 46.
shooting of rational stock, 49.

shooting of straight stock, 48.

with chamfered butt, 45.
with cheek-piece, 51.

et seq.

cast-off for left eye, 51.

Killing circle, 85 et seq.

bent for

Swivel

Laminated steel barrels, 31.

Leavenworth trap, 179.
Lefaucheux breech-loader, 3.
Lock and its parts, 38, 40.

M
Manton's

Monopeian gun,

eye, 53.

Targets fixed and moving, 70 et sfq.

Top connection between barrels and breech
action, 113.

53.
14.

N
Needham

left

for sling, 55.

Top

flint-lock gun, 2.

Murcott hammerless gun,

13.

Shells for shot guns, 105.

Shooter and loader, 135.
Shot counter, 197.

steel

barrels, 34.

.
,,

Semi-hammerless gun,

ejector gun, 22.

P
Pattern at various ranges, 70 to 80.

connection, Importance
Top-lever gun, 9.
Trap-shooting, 167.
Treble grip gun, n.
Treble wedge-fast gun, 12.

of,

114.

\V

Wadding, 143, 160.

Wild-fowling gun, 96.

PRINTED BY CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED, LA BELLE SAUVAGE, LONDON, E.C.

SCHOLTZE GUNPOWDER
(SMOKELESS).
IMPROVED, WATERPROOFED.
Manufactured at the Works of

THE SCHULTZE GUNPOWDER CO, Limited,

EYEWORTH LODGE, HAMPSHIRE.

"

SCHULTZE "

Gunpowder now more than ever excels all rivals, having Greater Penetration,
more even Pattern, Less Recoil, Less Report, Less Smoke, Less Fouling. It has no
Is practically unaffected by damp, and cannot be
prejudicial effect whatever upon the Barrel.
dried to a dangerous condition. It may be Loaded with the utmost ease in ordinary
Closer and

cases.

FIG-EON SHOOTI3VG.
All the Principal

The
The
The
The

Events of

late years, viz.

....

Grand Prix du Casino, Monte Carlo

1886, 1887, 1888, 1889
Hurlingham Cup
1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890
Gun Club International Cup
1886, 1887, 1888, 1889
Members' Challenge Cup
.48 times out of 65 Competitions
.

the Season 1890 "SCHULTZE" won over

10,000 at Hurlingham
and the Gun Club, being almost double the amount won by all other powders
combined.

And during

To

be had Retail and in Cartridges from

all

respectable Dealers, and by Traders Wholesale at

the Offices of

THE SCHULTZE GUHPOWDER

32,

CO.,

G-KESHAM STBEET, LONDON,

CATTTION.
Powder, and

"

Limited,
E.G.

Schultze " is the oldest, best known, and most reliable Smokeless
Public is cautioned against inferior and imitation Powders.

tJie

C.

KYNOCH &

CO., LTD.,

MILITARY AND SPORTING

CARTRIDGES.
Patentees and Sole Manufacturers of the

"GBOUSE"

THE METAL COVERING THE PAPER TUBE

IS

SOLID-DRAWN.

PATENT "PERFECTLY GAS-TIGHT" CASE.

Has solid-drawn cup

of brass under the head covering base and

Interior quite smooth,

and without iron

Powder Charge.

lining.

PATENT "PERFECT" METALLIC CARTRIDGE.

Express,

Revolver,

Special

and Rook
Target

Rifle

Cartridges,

Revolver and

Percussion

Repeating

Rifle

Caps,

Waddings, &c.

Cartridges.

PATENT BRASS SHOOTING" BALLS AND "PIGEONS,'

An

Excellent and Economical Substitute for those of Glass or Clay.

Samples on

application.

Price List to the Trade only.

DEPOTS-

LONDON:

25,

Heddon

BIRMINGHAM:

?9,

Street,

Bath

Regent

Street, St.

HEAD OFFICE AND MANUFACTORYnear

Street.

Mary's.

THE

SMOKELESS POWDER COMPANY

CLUVTITEID),

DASHWOOD HOUSE, NEW BROAD

LONDON,
WORKSBARWICK, HERTS.
"

SMOKELESS

ST.,

E.C.

Telegraphic Address

"BOMBSHELL, LONDON."

"

is the title officially authorised under the Explosives

Act, 1875, Nitro-Compound Class, Division 2, for the Nitro- Compounds
of the Smokeless Powder Company, Limited, and no other.

Sole Manufacturers of

Smokeless

Sporting

Smokeless (SR)

Rifle

Powder.
The Superiority of this Powder consists in its
Reduced Fouling,
Long Range,
Reduced Recoil,
Greater Penetration, and
Reduced Smoke,
More Regular Patterns
These special features, combined with its SAF ki
in transit, storage, and handling, have placed

FIRST RANK as a Sporting Powder.

Clean, Safe, and Regular in its action.
It requires no special cap, and can be used hi
ordinary Green and Blue Cases.
SPECIALLY
CASES, similar in
quality to the best Green, and with the ordinary
are
made
the
cap,
by
leading Cartridge Manufacturers, and with the words "Smokeless SS"
printed on each case, as a guarantee to Sportsmen
that they are using the genuine Smokeless S S.

Powder.
The advantages obtained

Absence of Smoke,
Remarkable Reduction in Recoil,
Abolition of Fouling,
Reduction of Heating of the Barrel,
Increased Accuracy of Shooting,
Reduction in the Weight of the
Cartridge.

in the

COLOURED

%* Sportsmen when ordering "Smokeless"

should add the letters SS, which distinguish the
Shot-Gun Powder from the other powders of this
Company made for other purposes.

Smokeless (SK) Rook

""""*

are

It

has been constituted to suit the existing Military

such as the Martini- Henry of -450-bore

Rifles,

and all Military Rifles except the new Magazine

weapon of 8 m/m., or 7 '7 m/m., for which the
Company manufactures a Special Powder (sec
below).
It

has no injurious

Rifle,

and

is

effect upon the Barrel of tlv

equally suited for a cold or a hot

climate.

Smokeless

Rifle

Powder.

This Powder is specially adapted for the Rook

Rifles of a calibre from '220 to '380, used for Rook
and Rabbit Shooting, the advantages obtained, in
addition to practically no Smoke, being Reduction
of Noise, Absence of Fouling, and Increased
Accuracy of Shooting.
Excellent Shooting can be obtained with this
Powder in the MORRIS TUBE.

"Rifleite."
For use in the new Magazine
Rifles of 7-7 m/m (-303) and
8

m/m

('315) calibre.

SHIPPERS AND THE TRADE ONLY SUPPLIED.

PARTICULARS, PRICES, AND TESTIMONIALS ON APPLICATION,

The Newcastle Chilled Shot Company,

SOLE MAKERS OF NEWCASTLE

"CHILLED

Limited,

SHOT."

Beware of Imitations.

TRADE

CHILLEDSHOT

MARK.

is called to the Trade Mark, as imitations of the

Company's manufacture are being offered and sold as

Special attention

Chilled Shot.

NEWCASTLE CHILLED SHOT

has no equal for

hardness, rotundity, uniformity in shape, and evenness in

Each number is composed of carefully sorted pellets,

and will be found free from pellets of other sizes, or having
an irregular surface.

size.

This Shot is now being used by all the leading

English and Continental Pigeon Shooters. It gives greater
penetration, superior pattern at long ranges, and keeps its
shape better than any other kind of Shot. See records of
the

London Gun

Trials of 1875, 1877, 1878, 1879, as to its

superiority.

Manufactured by improved machinery,

it is

without

equal for use in Choke-bores or Cylinders, and has no

deleterious effect upon the Gun Barrels.
The Company are the
-which is

Dices

SOLE MANUFACTURERS

composed of lead

and Worts

only,

of CHILLED SHOT,

and free from any poison.

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Carefully
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PRICES OF

W. W. GREENER'S
Breech-Loading Guns, with

all

the Latest

Improvements.
No.
200.

s.

The

"

Top-lever, Double-bolted, Snap

Breech Action, with extended rib, Laminated or "Sie"

Steel Barrels, either choked on W. W. Greener's

world-renowned method, or improved cylinder, to
In this Gun all the value is put into the barrels,
order.

mens'

locks,

Made

on page 7
-The "TRAP" Gun,
.

The

10.

similar to the
rib,

and neatly engraved

shooting of each

08.

p.

As

Rebounding

rib, neatly finished

The "FANCY

locks,

and

front

slightly

action

o
o

13

14 14

engine-turned

engraved

FORESTER," superior

finish

...

and

...

13

well
...

Good
illustration

1212

engraved

The

10 10

illustration

...

...
...
...
...
Superior make and finish
Greener's "FORESTER" Gun, Treble-wedge-fast Cross-

bolt,

109.

...

Gun

guaranteed.
Top-lever Gun, with either Bar or Back action, La-

on
1

990

Dominion, but with

minated or "Siemens'" Steel Barrels.

202.

illus-

a third grip in extension

203.

on page

with double grip, with lever over-guard as

trated

201.

990

and shooting
Illustrated

207.

d.

DOMINION GUN,"

shooting guaranteed.

on page 12 shows the style, but the engraving

so elaborate on the Forester,

is

not

W. GREENER'S SHOT-GUNS.

PRICE LIST OF W.
No.

The "FAR KILLER."

107.

popular and celebrated

This

Gun

is

now

Treble-wedge-fast
minated Steel or Siemens'

with either La-

fitted

Steel

Barrels,

tastefully

...16160

and engraved ...

Superior make and finish
finished

06.

Better qualities

105.

21

--

103.102.

...

ioi.

100.

to the

Royal Quality, finished similar

page facing 195 ...

Gun

illustrated

10

35

i5

104.

26

...

42

47

57

15

on
...

SINGLE-BARRELLED GUNS.
Breech-loading,

Single-Barrelled

double-grip, under-lever
Ditto, with engraving

serviceable,

55

plainly finished
...

...

...

...

sound,

good,

Gun,

660
660

...

...

Top-lever, Snap Breech mechanism, neatly finished, without

engraving
Ditto, engraved

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

Better Qualities,
All lo-bore

8-bore

Duck Guns,

,8

8s.,

Guns

is.

93.,

and

...
...

,10

nj

on page 95 ; weight, ioj to

to 12 Ibs. for 2] oz. shot ; to order.

Prices from

^15

1 1

Ibs.

for

155.

With Treble-wedge-fast Action, from

4-bores, weighing 15 to 20 Ibs.,

Double Grip

Ditto

Treble-wedge-fast

Ditto

extra for size.

as illustrated

2 oz. shot,

los.

21.

from
...

^21
^26

HAMMERLESS DUCK GUNS,

8-bore Single Treble- wedge-fast, as illustrated
4-bore
8-bore Double-barrelled
,,

Length of Barrel

Gun

on

from

p. 96...
...
...

8-bores, 32 to 36 inches; 4-bores,

36

26

^31
^31

extra.

o
o

10

to 42 inches.

Cases, with or without Implements, are supplied to order

and charged

10

PRICE LIST OF W.

IV.

W. W. GREENER'S
THE

" Facile
Princeps

GKJ-ENJ-K'S SHOT-GUNS.

HAMMERLESS GUNS.

"

lock mechanism, the celebrated Treble-wedgeBreech mechanism, Patent Side Safety Bolt, with which these Guns
are fitted, have given every satisfaction in all parts of the world.
All
these Guns are most carefully manufactured by W. W. Greener, and the
utmost value is put into the barrels and lock and breech action mechafast

can, with confidence, recommend them

and more durable than the Hammerless Guns
upon other systems which are now offered at same low prices.

nisms, so that

W. W. Greener

as

handier,

being

safer,

No.
28.

s.

engraving,
...
Barrels
27.
26.

d.

well-made Hammerless Gun, without

Damascus, or Siemens' Steel
English,

plainly-finished,

...

...

...

...

...

...

...
...
Better quality, neatly finished and engraved
With Greener's Sterling Steel or English Laminated Steel

Barrels

...

...

...

...

...

This type of Gun, i2-bore, can be

made

...

...

1616

21

26

31

10

36

42

with 27-inch

barrels as light as 5! Ibs.

25.

Ditto, superior quality and finish ...

Ditto, better quality, tastefully finished

...

...

...

22.

and engraved ...

Best quality, with hand-welded English Laminated Steel,
...
...
...
Sterling Steel, or Damascus Barrels
finest quality, elaborate finish,
and engraved
Ditto,

21.

Royal Quality, finished as

24.
23.

with artistic designs

...

...

...

...

illustration facing p. 195

...

47

...

57

15

All Hammerless Guns are fitted with W. W. Greener's Side Safety as

shown on pp. 20 and 23, usually independent, but can be made automatic, to order, ^i is. extra.
Top Safety as illustration on p. 17, made
to order,

No.

is. extra.

W. W. GREENER'S SELF-ACTING EJECTOR

GUNS.
s.

5.

The

4.

...
pp. 23 and 24
Better quality and finish

el.

highest development of the Sporting Shot Gun, fitted

with English Laminated Steel or Sterling Steel Barrels,
neatly engraved

and well

finished, as

illustration

on

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

36 15
42 o

o
o

PRICE LIST OF W. W. GREENER'S SHOT-GUNS.

s-

No.
3.

Best quality, engraved

on
2.
i.

p.

and

47

...

23

elaborately engraved and finished

as to material and
Royal Quality, being the very best, both
Greener's
the
barrels
Steel, Best
Sterling
workmanship,
Laminated Steel, or finest English Damascus, and the
Ditto,

more

Gun most

tastefully finished

and

artistically

with sporting scenes (as illustration facing

fine scroll design

finished similar to illustration

p.

52 10

engraved
195), or

...6300

...

EXTRA BARRELS.
Extra Barrels usually cost half the original price of the Gun, but no
10 los.
barrels can be properly fitted for less than

New

Barrels to old

Gun

have the old

to

fit

Guns on same terms.

them to.

It

is

necessary for us to

LIGHT GUNS AND SHORT BARRELS.

Guns with 3o-inch

barrels as light as

28

(Guaranteed

A Gun

with

Ibs.

made

to order.

made

to order,

to shoot nearly as well as a 3o-inch.)

27-inch barrels, weighing 5^

Gun we recommend
and lighter Guns made to order.

shortest-barrelled

Barrels

6^

6 Ibs. or just under,

Ibs.,

for ordinary

is

the

lightest

shooting.

and

Shorter

PRICES FOR REPAIRS, &c.

All repairs are executed in the best manner possible, by skilled workmen
conversant with the mechanism of all kinds of arms in all stages.

RE-STOCKING

Best Hammerless Gun, with Safety Bolt on side

or top

6 gs.

Second Quality

,,

Guns 30 lo 4o-guinea quality ...

...
Guns 20 to 25-guinea quality
Guns 1 5-guinea quality ...
...
...
"
"
Keeper's Guns and Muzzle-loaders from

...

5 gs.

...

5 gs.

...
...

gs.

2\

gs.

2 is.

(The above prices include Blueing the Furniture and Browning the
Barrels.)

PRICE LIST OF REPAIRS,

New

Strikers

and

...

Springs...

...

...

...per set

53.

3 gs. to

5 gs.

Converting Pin to Central Fire

(According to the value of the work done.)

Converting Side Safety to Tumbler-bolting Automatic

Converting Muzzle-loaders to Breech-loaders

Cleaning Locks, <Scc., of

Stocks Altered in Bend

&

2 gs.

7 gs. to

12 g>.

g.

...

...

Stocks Lengthened by Fitting

...

Horn Heel

...

...

los. to

Plates

Re-browning Barrels, Polishing Chambers and Muzzles

Re-boring Barrels, Taking out Rust, and Testing Shooting

...

to

...
...
...
...
Improving Shooting of Old Barrels
los. to
Taking out Dents from Barrels
Taking Choke out of Barrel, Shooting and Adjusting same,

each Barrel

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...
... los. to
...
Facing or Jointing-up Shaky Actions
Thoroughly doing up and Cleaning Gun, Re-chequering, Blueing,

Browning

Barrels, &c.

&c

each,

^i

...

to

o
o

o ,10
i
10

110

o 15

012

200
050

...

...

...

...per pair, 55. to

...
...
...
...
Top-Lever Springs ...
Tumblers for Hammerless Guns
each, 55. to
on
or
Initials,
Thumbpiece
Monograms Engraved

26

...

or extra Mainsprings

New Cocks
Crests,

o 10

...

...

..

Blueing only

,,

d.

...

Cleaning only

New

050

Gun

Gun Cases

or

initialed or

named, from

...

...

Other Alterations or Repairs

at

o 10

each, 55. to

each, 35. to

Lowest Rates.

ALL PRICES FOR REPAIRS ARE NET AND FOR CASH.

Sportsmen not

living in the

neighbourhood of London should send their

Birmingham.

Repairs direct to the Factory at

PRICE LIST OF

The

IV.

W. GREENER'S Snor-Guxs.

flovelty of the Yea**,

CHOKE-BORED

W. W. GREENER'S PATENT
RIFLE.
A.

PERFECT SHOT-GUN AND A PERFECT RIFJ^E IX ONE.

Performs equally well with conical and spherical

ball, solid and hollow

and heavy charges of powder.
Shoots shot of any size, making regular patterns from the open

bullets, light

shooting of the cylinder to the dense pattern of the choke.

The grooving
and clean

is

invisible,

throughout

This weapon

is

its

foul,

as

distinctly different

bores offered under fancy names, and

accomplished.
// has the accuracy

and handiness of

and is as easily kept bright

the barrel of the shot-gun.
in principle to the rifled choke-

cannot

whole length
it

is

achieves what none other has yet

and force of the heavy

the shot-gun.

It

rifle

combined with the lightness

without a doubt, the best weapon

used as a shot-gun when loaded with

is,

snap shots at large game, and if

expansive conical bullets, it is the best weapon for deer-drives, boar-drives,
also tiger, bear, and elk
shooting, or whenever advantage has to be taken
of a snap-shot at driven or
for

moving

large

game.

I2-BORES AS LIGHT AS

A
prices

fine

assortment of i2-Bore

from 25 guineas.

7 Ibs.

Hammerless Choke-Bored

Rifles

at

Prices for other bores 28 to 4 cal. on appli-

cation.

W. W. Greener's Sterling Steel," which rifles perfectly, and is stronger

than Damascus, is used for all barrels of the Choke-Bored Rifles.
'

PRICK LIST OF W. W. GREENER'S RIFLES.

GREENER'S RIFLES.

W. W,
The Cape
1

6 bore,

yards.

Made

and Shot-gun combined, the

Rifle

and the

left

same

in

right barrel being 12 or

'450-bore for long ranges, sighted 700 to 1,000

all
quality as Guns, but charged 3 guineas extra in

grades.

DOUBLE EXPRESS RIFLES.

THE "JUNGLE"

RIFLE.

This weapon is made, as shown in the accompanying illustration, with

the well-known Under-Lever Double-Grip Action to either of the usual
Express Cartridges of '400, '450, or '500 bore.
The Rifle is guaranteed Sound and Accurate, and
to 100, 150,

W. W. GREENER'S

All

Cheapness.

and 200

is a Marvel of
and sighted accurately

Rifles are shot

yards.
*.

Price, without

17 17

Case

for Case complete

Extra for 577 Express

Higher Grades

from
in proportion.

THE "FORESTER"
This Rifle
"

is

made

like the

RIFLE.

"Forester" Gun, with the

W. W. GREENER'S

"

Action, which makes a perfectly safe Rifle for any charge of

is
a great boon to those who are used to a Top-Lever, which
and
Powder,
is much quicker and handier than the Double-Grip Under-Lever.
Cross-bolt

Made

in

same

quality as the

"Jungle"

Rifle,

and accuracy guaranteed.

Price for "400, '450, '500 bore

...

21

Extra for 577 Express

...

...

</.

00

o
Case complete from
3
3
Rifles
with
Grade
the
"Cross-bolt"
Finer
action,
Treble-wedge-fast
30, 40, and 50 Guineas. Cases extra.

PRICE LIST OF W. W. GREENER'S RIFLES.

W. W. GREENER'S HAJMMERLESS EXPRESS

RIFLES.
THESE

W. W.

Greener's celebrated Treble-wedge"

"
lock
Breech Action and his well known Facile Princeps
and
are
all
The Rifles are
guaranteed safe
carefully built,

Rifles are fitted with

fast Cross-bolt

mechanism.
under all possible conditions.

Each weapon is carefully sighted and

the
and
adjusted,
accuracy guaranteed private range for testing 500
The mechanism is of the simplest and strongest, the accuracy
yards.
and these weapons may be implicitly relied upon by
unapproachable
;

sportsmen.

EXPRESS RIFLES.
Bores

...

-360

Weights

...

-400
8

'45

450 and -500 bores, with 28-inch

weights.

Lighter or heavier

10

barrels, are kept in stock of these

to order.

Well-made Hammerless Express

Rifle,

3110

Damascus

barrels

...

...

...

36 15

47

Best quality Hammerless Express Rifle,

neatly engraved

and

finished

This Rifle

is

...

...

also

made

...

...

...

...

spherical bullets.

Best quality Hammerless Express Rifle

This Rifle

is

also

made

to order in 16, 12, or 10 bore for conical

and
411.

Best quality Hammerless Express Rifle, plainly finished.

Steel or

412.

no engraving,

plain finish, steel barrels, fitted with Intercepting Safety

Bolts and all modern improvements
...
...
...

4J3-

Ibs.

PRICES FOR RIFLES.

No
414.

rifles built

'577
12

'5

57

to order in 16, 12, or 10 bore for conical

and spherical

bullets.

Hammerless

in
best
Self-Acting
Ejector
Rifles,
style
throughout, fitted with Greener's fine Sterling Steel or

Damascus

barrels

Cases and Implements from

45

^5

55.

gs.

&

60

gs.

PRICE LIST OF W. W. GRI-.ENER'S RIFLES.

W. W. GREENER'S ELEPHANT RIFLES.

DOUBLE ELEPHANT

8-BORE

RIFLE.

BRASS CARTRIDGE FOR ELEPHANT

Fac-simile

Diagram

of Shooting

the Editor of Sportens, with a

fast Rifle '450-bore;

no

RIFLE.

made

at Helsingfors,

by

W. W. GREENER

grains powder;

Treble-wedgehollow bullet, 270

muzzle velocity, 12,700 feet per second. Seven consecutive shots at 100 yards. Actual size of square, i by
grains

-}

inch.

Diagram never equalled by any

Sporting

Rifle.

LARGE-BORE RIFLES FOR ELEPHANT

SHOOTING.
There
"

is

but one

W. W. Greener

Years amongst

action fit for Rifles of this calibre; it is the

This is what the author of " Thirteen
Treble-wedge-fast."
the Wild Beasts of India" wrote of his Large-bore

Rifles:

"

Greener's Treble-wedge-fast Rifle, 8-bore, double-barrelled, weighing

17 Ibs., and Greener's Treble-wedge-fast, double smooth-bore, 4-gauge

Ball Gun, weighing 19 Ibs., were built for me by W. W. Greener in 1874,

since which time they have been in continual use, and have been fired
several hundreds of times with 12 drams and a 2-oz. bullet, and with 16

PRICE LIST OF W.

W. GREENER'S RIFLES.

drams and a 4-oz. bullet, respectively. They have never required any
as close as when they
still sound, and the breech-actions
repair, and are
left the factory.
They have given me every satisfaction.
" S. P.
SANDERSON,
"Superintendent of Government Elephant

"Keddahs, Dacca.

"London, 1884."

These Guns have since been used by Mr. Sanderson with great
No sportsman living has had
success, and are now in splendid condition.
Indian
of
Sanderson
Mr.
more experience than
elephant hunting, and the
wear to which his rifles have been subjected is greater than is likely to

W. W.
to the large-bore rifles of any Indian or African sportsman.
Greener's Large-bore Rifles and Ball Guns have also been used with great
success by many well-known hunters in Africa, India, and East India,

fall

and reference

is

permitted.

PRICES OF LARGE-BORE ELEPHANT RIFLES.

No.

J-

The

427.

"DACCA"

Elephant

</

Gun.

Treble-wedge-fast
Gun, of best quality

4-bore Double-barrelled Ball

throughout, and as recommended by Mr. Sanderson,
plainly finished

...

...

...

This weapon may also be had

...

...

...

5210

rifled for spherical bullets instead

of heavy smooth bore, at same price.

425.

The

"KEDDAH"

double8-bore,
Rifle,
Elephant
and
Mr.
Sanderson
barrelled,
many
noted sportsmen, sighted for 50 yards, TOO and 150
yards, 16 to 17 Ibs. weight, plainly finished, but of best
as supplied to

47

quality throughout

426.

The "TONQUIN"

Rifle,

8-bore,

double-barrelled,

24-

and conical bullets and exand tested to 150 yards, of best

inch, rifled for spherical

plosive shells, sighted

quality and lightest weight, \2\ Ibs. to 13 Ibs., antirecoil heelplate,

rebounding locks, steel barrels, as built

most experienced hunter in the French colonies 42 o o

Also are built to special order, Single-barrelled Breechloading 4-bore
and 8-bore Rifles, or Ball Guns, prices of which will be furnished on
Solid brass cases are recommended, and are always used
application.
for the

unless otherwise specified

on the order.

PRICE LIST OF W. W. GREENER*S

RIFLES.

MARTINI SINGLE EXPRESS & LONG-RANGE

RIFLES.
Of

Single-Barrel Rifles

now

in the market, the Martini holds

For Simplicity of Conposition, and deservedly so.

struction, Strength, Solidity, and perfect Safety it is unequalled.
The Rifle has everlasting wear, and is thoroughly reliable it is,
the

first

too, a

Hammerless, ejecting the

latest inventions

The

fired case, thus

embodying the

without extra cost.

Martini

is

a Rifle which can always be relied upon, the

Lock being unaffected by any climate, and the Stock never being
known to break it is, moreover, the Cheapest Rifle made that
;

will

stand heavy Express or other charges.

Prices of Express Rifles for '360, '400, "450, '500 bore

PLAIN QUALITY.
s.

With Safety

Bolt, Straight

Pistol

Hand

Hand...

577 Express
Martinis, not
peditions,

MEDIUM.

d.

s.

BEST.

d.

s.

660 770
770 880
880

10 100
10 10

...

Government marked,

Carbines,

same

for explorers,

low prices

ships' chests, etc., at special

d.

990
hunting ex-

for quantities.

price.

These Rifles are also largely made to use the British Government ammunition at above prices, and serve either as a Long-

Range
Africa,

or Express Rifle.
They are in great demand
where they are the general favourites.

Volunteer, Match, and other

in

Long-Range

South

Rifles,

Shot up to 500 yards, at 5, 6, and 7 Guinea?.

large stock of all sizes kept, so that they

may be

supplied

without delay.

All kinds of Volunteer Requisites

Accessories supplied.

and Shooting

PRICE LIST OF W. W. GREENER'S RIFLES.

THE NEW REGULATION

"303

REPEATING

RIFLE.
W. W. Greener is licensee under the Lee-Speed Patents to manufacture
Magazine Rifles identical with those in use by Her Majesty's forces.
These rifles are of first-class workmanship, accurately sighted, and shot and
W. W. Greener's private range (500 yards).
By an arrangement with a contractor to the Honourable Board of
Ordnance, ammunition of the same make and quality as issued by the
regulated at

Ordnance Department can be supplied with these weapons.

It is believed that the high velocity, low trajectory, and enormous
penetrative force possessed by this rifle when used with the Regulation
will lead to its adoption for sporting purposes generally.

ammunition,

No.

d.

303 Repeating Rifle with one detachable magazine, regulation

Infantry pattern, price

The same

rifle

>.

Ammunition

12

1010

with sporting stock and

chequered fore-end,
I2

price

303 Repeating

1010

Rifle, Artillery pattern, price

205.

per hundred, loaded with the Regulation charge, 85grain compressed pellet, and 2i5-grain steel-covered composite bullet, in
solid-drawn brass cases with
Smokeless
hermetically-sealed pinions.
powder cartridges can now be supplied.

THE NEW

-303

MARTINI.

REGULATION PATTERN.

This rifle is now

being manufactured for
The breech mechanism is that of the

Her Majesty's Government.

Martini-Henry Rifle adapted for the

PRICK LIST OF

NEW SMALL-BORE BARREL

range and sighting

IV.

IV.

GREENER'S RIFLES.

of the Magazine Rifle (En field-Lee), and the

and sighting of the new

are identical with the range

Service arm.

W. W. Greener

is

now

supplying

new

rifles

upon this principle, each

same shooting qualities

shot-regulated and guaranteed to possess the

as the rifles made in Government factories.
rifle

PRICE

;8

8s.

PER RIFLE.

Superior-finished, Sporting style,

,10

los.

Steel or brass cleaning-rods, 25. 6d. each.

UU. G $E E?i Eft,

A rms Manufacturer.

U4.
Contractor

to the

British

and Foreign Governments.

RIFLE SHOOTING EXTRAORDINARY.

THE NEW MAGAZINE RIFLE IN KIMBERLEY.
Extract from " The Kimberley Independent."

"

UNDER the auspices of the genial Mr. A. P. Walshe, a trial was made
yesterday for the first time in Kimberley of the famous New British
Government Magazine Rifle, which has provoked so much discussion in
its tentative adoption by the War Orifice.
viewed from the practical colonial standpoint, seems to fulfil
A curious thing connected with the gun is
every condition except weight.
The penetration
that it has scarcely any recoil, and but a slight report.
is very great, and yesterday two shots fired at a heavy stinkwood post, by

European

The

military circles since

Rifle,

Mr. A.

J.

Wright, went right through, and left a hole as clean and unAt 200 and 300 yards the
if it had been made with a gimlet.

splintered as

At 400 yards Mr.

point-blank shooting was all that could be desired.
Wright made 5 consecutive bulls ; at 500 yards he made 3 bulls and i
Time being short, the recentre; at 800 yards, 2 centres and i bull.
maining trials were made without a marker ; but at 1,000, 1,500, and

PRICE LIST OF W.

IV.

GREENER'S RIFLES.

800 yards, Mr. Wright and Mr. Finlason succeeded in hitting the target
In order to try the extreme ranges, 4 shots were
5 times out of 6 shots.
fired at 2,500 yards, and Mr. Wright missed the target by only a couple
i,

Mr. Finlason highly astonished himself by dropping a

on to the mound. Half in jest, the party went
back to Mr. Wright's house, and aimed at the Diamond Fields Horse
cannon target; and with the aid of an opera-glass the bullets, on two
The distance is
occasions, were distinctly seen to strike over the target.
about 3,500 yards. This is an extraordinary range for any rifle.
Exactly
the same results were obtained from the Martini Rifle, which has been
of yards,

while

bullet just over the target

adapted to the Magazine '303 Rifle Cartridge. The Rifles were made by
W. W. Greener, who is licensee under the Lee-Speed Patents to manufacture them."

ROOK RIFLES
With Martini

actions, 4, 5,

and 6 guineas

with Top-lever and Side

locks, very superior quality, 8 to 10 guineas.

REVOLVERS.
GREENER'S BULL-DOG REVOLVER.
320, -360, -380,

Cheaper
Very

and -450

bores,

25.

each

qualities, 303., 2 is., 125. 6d.

Self-Extracting Army Revolver.

supplied to the British Government

superior

Same

as
6

CARTRIDGES FOR SHOT-GUNS.

To obtain good shooting, cartridges of the first
quality are indisTo meet a growing demand, W. W. Greener has now arranged
pensable.
for the sale of his loaded
cartridges at various Agencies in England and
the Colonies.
All

W. W.

Greener's cartridges are loaded in one

way, with perfected
whilst
the pellets of the charge are counted in
machinery,
by means of a

simple machine of

W. W.

Greener's invention.

Mistakes cannot occur,

PRICE LIST OF W. W. GREENER'S CARTRIDGES.

and the number contained

will be found not to vary a single pellet, 304

in
a
counted
as
being
charge of ij oz. of No. 6 chilled shot, of 270 to the
The same exactitude is observed in choosing and fitting the
ounce.
"
Schultze," "S.S.," and such powders are weighed
wadding, and "E.G.,"
or carefully measured.

The powder used

is 01 one uniform quality

the very best procurable,
be found to give better shooting than that generally obtainable.
Every batch of powder received is tested by W. W. Greener before being

and

it

will

issued to sportsmen, and

if

above or below the requisite strength

is

rejected.

The
material,

be found

prices are the lowest possible for the best quality cases and
and careful loading. Each cartridge sold by W. W. Greener will
perfect.

Prices of

Loaded Cartridges at the Works, or at

market, London, and various Agencies.

The "Smokeless Cartridges,"

"

grs.

in red or buff Cases, "Schultze,"

i-J oz.,

Ditto, 47 grs.

us.

and ij

oz.,

and

"E.G.," or "S.S.," 45 or 47
cash, or 125. booked.

us.

Hay-

12-bore, per 100.

Sporting Life" Cases, "Schultze," "E.G.," or "S.S.," 42

i os. 6d. cash, or us. 6d. booked.

Or

68,

ij- oz.,

grs.,

and

6d. cash, or 125. 6d. booked.

The "Prize" Cartridges,

12-bore, per 100.

Green or blue paper Cases, 3 drams & ij oz., 93. 6d. cash, or los. 6d. booked.
3^ drams & ij oz., IDS. cash, or us. booked.
3j drams

&

ij

oz.,

us. cash, or

125.

booked.

If in "Perfect," "Perfectly Gas-tight," "Grouse," or other fancy Cartridge Cases, the prices will be 6d. per 100 more; also 2|-in. Cases 6d.,

and

3-in.

The

"

Cases

is.

per 100 extra.

London Club" Cartridge.

In

Eley's

Green

with special
at 95. per 100 for
in Eley's Special

Cases,

Black Powder and Soft Shot,

For "Schultze" or "E.G." powders,
i2-gauge.
Cases, at los. per 100 for i2-gauge.

large Caps, for best

PRICE LIST OF W. W. GREENER'S CARTRIDGES.

Small Bores.

From

and

per 100

is.

the above prices deduct 6d. per 100 for i6-bores,

for 2o-bores, with usual charges; other sizes and

loads at special prices.

The above
St.

Haymarket, London, S.W., or at the Works,

Railway Carriage or PACKING CASES are included in

at 68,
prices are for delivery

Mary's Square, Birmingham.

No

these prices.

Strong Packing Boxes,

to hold 100,

3d.
Delivery, Carriage forward or paid, to

200 300, 400, 500, or 1,000 Cartridges.

6d. gd.

is. is.

any Railway

3d. or 25. 6d.

Station at

home

or abroad, by

arrangement.

Ordinary Best quality, Blue, Red, Green, and

or Eley's, Joyce's, or Kynoch's, at 405. per
Cases,
Sporting Life
"
"
1,000.
Fancy Paper Cases and Perfects from 425. 6d. per 1,000.

Empty Cartridge Cases.

"

"

"E.B." Brown Cases,

303. per 1,000.

20-bores,

is.

per 1,000

less.

Gunpowder, Shot, and Wadding. Very best Black Gunpowder, No. 4

Alliance, retail at 25. per lb.; "Gamekeepers'" Powder, is. 6d. perlb.;
Genuine Newcastle Chilled Shot, 8s. per 28 Ibs. "Schultze," "E.G.,"
and "S.S."at
edged
is.

ditto,

8s.

53.

per

per

lb.

1,000;

Wadding, 35. to 55. per lb.; PinkWaterproof and Card ditto, is. and

Felt

6d. per 1,000.

TERMS. On

no account will the Cash ivith Order Prices be allowed unless the
Cash accompanies the order; otherwise the] Quarterly Rooked Prices icill

be charged.

PRICE LIST OF W. W. GREENER'S TRAPS.

INANIMATE TARGETS FOR MATCHES AND

PRACTICE.
The

"

Blue Rock

"

Target

is

the best imitation of the living bird.

THE "BLUE ROOK" TARGET TRAP,

Net Cash

,,

" Blue

oniy.

Rock" or other First-quality Trap

...
"Blue Rock" or other First-quality Targets per 100

084

Cord

The Standard

for

No

...

Trap

...

...

...

...

allowance made for breakages in transport,

These Traps and Birds are obtainable only of W. W, GREENER,

any of his addresses.

at

W. W, GREENER'S GLASS BALL TRAPS.

THE ROTATING TRAP.
THE "CARVER."
-

Fixed or Stationary Trap.

and

Very strong

Throws

easily adjusted.

wards
Price for single ball

To throw two

balls

extra

050

Stationary Trap

quality, as

used

if

desired.

Price for single

If to

Pigeon Traps, best

any direction but toCan be used as a

the ball

the shooter.

...

...

at the

Gun

Club,

270

throw two balls

220

each.

HONOURS TO THE GREENER GUN.

Winning Gun at
102 Guns by

all the best

Winning Gun, BOGARDUS

South killing
phia, 1876.

Winning Gun,
CYLINDERS.
London, 1877.
Gun,

Winning
FIELD

GREAT LONDON GUN TRIALS of 1875,

the

v.

86100;

SOUTH,

Winning Gun, Highest Score ever

Philadel-

obtained in a Public Pigeon Match,

CARVER v. CRAWSHAY, 93 100 ;

CHOKE-BORES
Silver

1881.

Winning Gun, Highest Scores ever

Cup,

obtained in a

GREAT

TRIAL OF

LONDON

Shoot

Public Glass

CARVER

EXPLOSIVES,

Cup

Winning Gun, GREAT INTERNAPIGEON

TIONAL
CONTESTS,
DIEPPE and BADEN-BADEN, 1878.
Winning Gun, GRAND PRIX DU
CASINO, value ^1,328; Monaco,

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN GUN

Winner, CARVER v. BINGHAM,

600 Pigeons, London, 1882.

Winning Gun

at

Hurlingham, 1882.

DUS, for $1,000; Chicago, 1883.

Winning Gun, CARVER v. BOGARDUS 25 Matches at Clay Pigeons,

score, 2,227
2,500, United

Gun,
CHAMPIONSHIP
OF ENGLAND,

Winning

States, 1883.

1880.

Gun,

Winning

Zealand

Exhibi-

Gold Medal, New

d'Art,

Objets

Reims,

June,

1883.

tion, 1882.

Winning

Winning Gun,
GRAND PRIX DE

Gun,

Virgoe's Trophy,

Melbourne, 1883.

MARCHE,

Winning Gun,

GRAND PRIX DK

1880.

Gun,
Winning
CHAMPIONSHIP
OF THE WORLD

PARIS, 1884.
Boulogne, 1884.
First

CHALLENGE

Three Gold Medals awarded,

Melbourne, Ade-

Nice, 1884.

^Winning Gun,

Cups and ^49

LONDON INTERNATIONAL, 1885.

Cleves,

1881.
ist,

3rd,

&

5th,

1885.

Winning Gun, Highest Average, LONDON

INTERNATIONAL, 1885.
Winning Gun, Highest Average, London,
Season 1885.

and

Gold Medal,

Gun,

Ballarat Annual,

Award, Cal-

cutta, 1884.
Award
First

CUP, 1881.

Winning

laide,

at

Winning Gun, Chicago, 1882.

Winning Gun, GRAND INTERNATIONAL CHAMPION CUP, 1882.
Winning Gun, Hendon, 1882.
Winning Gun, CARVER v. BOGAR-

1878.

Gun,

Ball

v.

CLUB, 1881.

Winning Gun, GREAT LONDON GUN

TRIALS OF 1879.
Winning Gun, GRAND PRIX DE
MONTE CARLO Monaco, 1879.
Winning Gun, SPECIAL FIRST ORDER
OF MERIT Sydney, 1879.

Winning

SCOTT.
Winning Gun, Gold Medal and Silver

1878.

LA

beating

makers of Great Britain and Ireland.

Winning Gun, UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP

(also 3rd and 4th), Monaco, 1886.
Winning Gun, Consolation Prize, Monaco,
1886.

BARCELONA,

1888.

GOLD MEDAL.

CAPTAIN BREWER,
Winner of the Championship of the World Challenge Cup, London, 1888.

AN EXTRAORDINARY PIGEON MATCH.

A

REMARKABLE

series of Pigeon Matches was shot between the two celebrated experts, Capt. J. L. Brewer and J. A. R. Elliott, at Jersey City Gun
Club, U.S.A., three matches, at 100 birds each per match, for $3,000 a side.
The first round was shot on Thursday, March igth, which resulted in
The tie was then shot off at 25 birds,
a tie, both shooters killing 93.
Brewer scoring 23 and Elliott 21. Totals Brewer, 116; Elliott, 114.
The second race, on Tuesday, 24th, brought a large crowd, who were
well repaid by the magnificent score of Brewer, who scored 99 out of 100,
the lost bird, a hard-hit right-quarterer, falling dead out of bounds. Elliott
scored 92.
In the third and final match, March i6th, Brewer scored 93 and
Elliott 89.

The

Brewer, 95
average of the three days' shooting was
was said that this match was one of the best ever shot
Both shooters used Greener guns and Schultze gunpowder.
It

Elliott,

91 J.

in America.

VALUABLE PRIZES WON WITH THE GREENER GUN.

PIGEON
SHOOTING EXTRA-

CHAMPIONSHIP OF

THE WORLD CHALLENGE CUP,

ORDINARY.

Richmond,

The Highest Shooting

on record in a match be-

Va.,

1887.

THE BELGIAN

tween the two experts,

Captain Brewer and
Mr. J. A. R. Elliott, at

CHAMPIONSHIP,

Jersey City,

Adelaide, 1887.

March 2 6th,

Brussels, 1887.

FIRST AWARD,

for

BATHURST
CHAMPIONSHIP

1,000 dols. a side.

Captain Brewer scored
9 9 out of 100, the last

HANDICAP, 1887;

bird falling dead out

of bounds;

2nd, and 3rd.

59 Competitors;
Greener's Guns 1st,

Elliott killed 9 2.

GOLD MEDAL and

Both shooters used

PETERSBURG GUN

DIPLOMAS,

Greener Guns.

TRIALS,

ST.

1887.

AMERICAN FIELD CHAMPION WING-SHOT CUP.

CHAMPIONSHIP OF ENGLAND, 1888.

CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD CHALLENGE CUP, LONDON, 1888.
MELBOURNE 1st, 1888. UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP- "2nd Time"-1889.

THE GRAND PRIX DU

CASINO, OBJET D'ART
and
791; 97 Competitors, 1891.

THE PRIX D'OVERTURE,

THE PRIX DE MONTE
CARLO,

1891.

AMERICAN FIELD
CHAMPION WING-SHOT
CUP, won

five

times

successively, 1890-91, by

Mr.

J. A. R.

with a
in

ELLIOTT,

GREENER

one match

Gun,

killing

98

birds out of 100.

THE GRAND PRIX DU CASINO,

THE GRAND PRIX DU CASINO,

1891.

HONOURS

TO THE

GREENER GUN.

THE GREAT LONDON FIELD TRIAL,

AT

this

important

Cylinders was

over

trial

the

fully

demonstrated, and

tion thoroughly established.

superiority

The

1875.
Choke-bores

of

their reputaprincipal class was for 12-

gauge Choke-bores, for which the "Field" gave a Silver

Cup, value 40 guineas.
In this class there were thirty-three competitors, with 68
Each gun was fired fifty times at 40 yards, and
guns.
Our gun won, making an
twenty-five times at 60 yards.
average pattern of 214, and penetration of 206*5 a * 4 y af ds.
In No. i Class we came out first with our 8-gauge Choke-bore,
also first and second with our lo-bores.
In Class No. 4 our
little 2O-bore, weighing 5^ Ibs., came out winner by several
This trial was followed by a Wear and Tear, at
points.
which each gun was fired 2,500 times, at the rate of 60 shots
per hour, ours coming out first in both pattern and penetra-

Thus our guns won all the classes for Choke-boring.

In the Field Trial for Explosives, 1878, a full Choke-

tion.

make made

bore gun of our

THE FIELD CUP.

the most wonderful shooting on

record, the average pattern of 25 shots being 220*8, and

penetration 154*32, with

oz.

No. 6

shot.

Again, in 1879 our guns carried off the prizes in the 12- and 2O-bore classes.

CHOKE-BORES

v.

CYLINDERS. LONDON,
THIS

May

trial

was shot

off at

the

Gun Club,

1877.

Netting Hill,

23rd, 1877.

There were nine guns on each side, at five birds

each at 30 yards, and five each at 40 yards.
The Choke-bores won the first day by four birds.
The best score was made by Mr. H. C. Pennell, who
It was
killed 5 birds at 30 and 3 birds at 40 yards.
noticed that Mr. Pennell with his Greener gun brought
his birds down in splendid style at from 60 to 70 yards
distance

he also used but 3^

drs.

powder, whilst 3!

was used by some of the other competitors. The

prize for this match was a 5o-guinea cup, given by
Mr. Purdey. We had only one gun in this match,
used by Mr. Pennell, against fourteen by the first
London makers, and three by provincial makers.
The next day a sweepstake was shot for, the same

drs.

sides competing.

This
first by 14 birds.
proved that Choke-bores were the best
weapons for this shooting, and they have since
come to be generally used at all the gun clubs.

The Choke-bores were

trial

THE FIFTY-GUINEA CUP, PRESENTED

BY MR. J. PURDEY.

fully

At the Gun Trials, 1886, Leavenworth, U.S.A., 50 guns, 45 yards, 24-inch circle,
'Greener 12-bore Gun won by 12 pellets, left barrel, and 13, right barrel, beating many
io-bores.

HONOURS TO THE GREENER GUN.

THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MEDAL, won

F. E.

THE GUN AND

at Sacramento, Oct.
Coy Kendall, Esq.

ITS

9,

1890, by

DEVELOPMENT.

WITH NOTES ON SHOOTING.

Fifth Edition. Eighth Thousand. Ready Shortly.

Revised and brought down to date, with many additions, and further embellished by New
Engravings of Ancient and Modern Guns and Shooting Scenes, containing some 550 illustratrations, 780 pp., cloth boards, price zos. 6d.
"THE GUN AND ITS DEVELOPMENT" contains a full history of early firearms, and
All novelties worthy
traces the evolution of the modern military rifle and sporting shot gun.
of note have been described impartially, and no endeavour has been spared to make
THE
GUN" worthy the position it has gained as the shooter's encyclopaedia. "THE GUN" is
'

free

and

from technicalities, every particular is practically treated, the illustrations are

clear, the explanations concise, and the information pleasantly communicated.
A.

'

numerous

French Translation has been made.

W. W. GREENER,

68,

Haymarket, London, S.W.; & Prize Works,

St.

Mary's

Sq.,

Birmingham.

PLAN OF ROUTE TO W. W. GREENER'S WORKS.

OF*Y

W. W.
to enable

GREENER
him

to

begs to inform his patrons and sportsmen

meet

he has

his largely increasing business,

tended his gun manufactory, situated in Birmingham, fronting

Square, Loveday Street,

may be

branches

and Bath

inspected.

It

is

Street,

where gunmaking

the largest

England, having an area of 37,000 square feet;

range, try guns,

The

and

all

rifles

Gentlemen

first

Street (see plan),

Hours of

in all

its

in

for

and moderate

price

Hotne and Foreign markets.

Birmingham should leave the Central Station by

turning on the

which

business, 9

Holidays and day

Mary's

also a 5o-yard shooting

the front entrance, Stephenson Place, walk straight

and take the

St.

modern improvements.

always on hand, suitable

visiting

lately ex-

and most complete

largest stock in Great Britain of high-class

guns and

that,

is

left

past the

up Corporation

New Law

Street,

Courts, Loveday

about ten minutes' walk.

till

following.

6; Saturdays,

till

i.

Closed on Bank

W. W. GREENER'S ORDER FORM.

NameAddress

Description of Breech ActionX

No. and Page in Price List

5
Price and

Terms

Gauge
Length of Barrels

Weight of Gun
Shooting

_
Bight Barrel-

,,

Stock

Left Barrel

Bend

Length

__

at

Bump,
at Toe,--

at Centre,

Fore-end
Finish

Hand, &c __

Engraving
Safety required

When
Gun

Comb

at

Bump

"S
o>

Cast-off
If Pistol

at

__

Locks-

_, Sight
_,

Bib

_,

Price-

to be finished

Case No.

Remarks and Shipping Instructions

BINDING SECT. MAR 3

PLEASE

CARDS OR

DO NOT REMOVE

SLIPS

UNIVERSITY

1972

FROM

THIS

OF TORONTO

POCKET

LIBRARY